canada.com » Patrick O’Rourkehttp://o.canada.com
Canada's great, shareable storiesTue, 03 Mar 2015 18:41:53 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/15edae77ebfa450ee5bb897103fdef31?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png » Patrick O’Rourkehttp://o.canada.com
Halo 5: Guardians: The developers tells us how beta data will help shape the game’s futurehttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/halo-5-guardians-the-developers-tells-us-how-beta-data-will-help-shape-the-games-future
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/halo-5-guardians-the-developers-tells-us-how-beta-data-will-help-shape-the-games-future#commentsThu, 05 Feb 2015 18:03:08 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=588958]]>With Halo 5: Guardians, 343 Industries has taken on the difficult task of modernizing the Halo franchise, in the process forcing the studio to revamp a number of the series’ aging features, while still keeping the essence of what has become one of gaming’s most popular and influential first-person shooter franchises.

Trying to appease Halo’s dedicated, hardcore fans is an important part of 343 Industries’ development process, and something both Halo 5’s executive producer, Josh Holmes, and the game’s multiplayer designer, Quinn DelHoyo, feel the beta has helped accomplish, given the final version of the game likely won’t be released until approximately a year from now.

The data, criticism, and experimentation present in the beta has allowed 343 Industries to explore a number of new methods when it comes to pushing the franchise forward, and there’s still plenty of time for the studio to tweak the experience they’re creating.

“We really focused on putting the gameplay through its paces, and testing out the new Spartan abilities that are at the centre of the gameplay for Halo 5: Guardians. We were interested to see how people reacted to the abilities, and to see how the balance of those abilities played out in the wild. There was a gammut of everything we looked at, from weapon layout on maps, to weapon tuning and how various weapons are balanced against one another, making sure players couldn’t dominate with a single weapon,” said Holmes.

DelHoyo expanded on Holmes’ statement, explaining one of his team’s big takeaways from the beta was gauging how well its new features and balancing tweaks mesh together. In terms of significant takeaways from the beta, Holmes explained player visibility in certain arenas, as well as map layout, are significant issues his team plans to address.

“We’re even looking at, ‘Okay, this area has five entry points, maybe we should remove one of those entry points to give you a little bit more of a flow to the experience, to find the threats a little bit more,’ and have some interesting choke points; because some of the matches, I mean, people were like electrons. It was really hard to predict where people are going,” said DelHoyo.

When the beta launched, many longtime fans of the series were shocked to discover the ability to run was no longer limited as it had been in past Halo titles such as Halo: Reach and Halo 4, speeding up the game’s pace significantly. To offset the effectiveness of being able to constantly sprint, 343 Industries implemented a unique system preventing player’s shields from recharging until they stopped moving. But even with this gameplay mechanic, many hardcore fans still felt the beta was too fast when compared to past Halo titles.

“That’s something we went back and forth on as a team, as we do on most core decisions related to gameplay. I think for the beta we really focused on the arena portion of the experience, but as with past Halos, it’s important for us to have a consistency in the gameplay speed between all different modes.

We certainly don’t want to take away old comfy pillows like that from players

“So as you can imagine, we’re building a foundation of gameplay that translates over to the other larger experiences we have planned for multiplayer, that we haven’t revealed yet, as well as our campaign. So we’re trying to find the balance within the mobility that works well for all of these different modes,” said Holmes.

“I think some of the criticism of having that limitation mechanic is linked to the lack of predictability [it would cause] – how much sprint you can have at a given time. If you went to sprint and then run-out unexpectedly, and the frustration that causes with players.”

Halo 5: Guardians is the next title in Microsoft’s flagship Halo franchise. [343 Industries]

DelHoyo also explained in order for sprint to perform properly if it were limited, 343 Industries would need to add another indicator to Halo 5’s already crowded heads-up-display (HUD), potentially causing visibility issues for players. Holmes also linked the infinite run feature to his team’s goal of ensuring player mobility is a main focus of the game.

“Mobility has been such a core focus of the team from the beginning for Halo 5: Guardians, even while we were still working on Halo 4, a lot of the ideas that inspired that foundation of spartan abilities, just knowing that we wanted to focus on creating a more mobile experience, and kind of getting that into the core capabilities and abilities that you have as a Spartan on the battlefield,” said Holmes.

Aiming-down-sights (ADS) has also been drastically changed in Halo 5 from how the feature performed in previous Halo titles, from the way it is controlled (with the left trigger) to how many weapons feature zoom capabilities. Each weapon, even guns focused on close-quarters and mid-range combat, can be zoomed in Halo 5, causing some weapons to become ineffective due to the limited viewing area this feature creates – particularly when it comes to the assault rifle. This lead many players to question why 343 Industries made the decision to give every weapon featured in the a Call of Duty-like left-trigger ADS zooming, instead of limiting it to guns like the Sniper Rifle, Battle Rifle and Pistol, similar to past Halo games.

“I think any time you take a franchise that has such a storied history like Halo and you want to evolve the gameplay experience, there’s always that challenge of having more traditionalist fans, and whether they’re going to accept some of the changes. For us, we wanted to create a mechanic that felt natural within the first play, that would allow us to provide more functionality to all weapons across the sandbox. The way that we presented it, it was kind of getting back to the fiction of the smart-link the Spartan has between the visor and heads-up display built into their armour, and how that connects to the weaponry… Again, it was one of those things that we wanted to see how people responded to in the beta,” said Delhoyo.

The ground pound is another controversial spartan ability that, according to Holmes, will likely be tweaked on some level before the game’s final release next year. Player reaction to the new ability has largely been mixed, with many players either loving or hating being able to powerfully drop on foes from above.

“During the development process, we prototyped a ton of different mechanics. Some of them stick, some of them don’t. That was one of the ones that at first it seemed a little bit crazy, but the more we played with it, it became a natural part of the rhythm of combat and was one of those punctuation moments that has a lot of risk/reward to it,” DelHoyo said.

“We weren’t settled on it either, I mean that’s why we did the beta,” interjected Holmes.

“It was great to get data on it, and look at how people are using it. But are they using it how they thought they’d be using it? So we’re really excited how Ground Pound turned out but we’re not resting on our laurels. I think we’re going to tune it because it kind of interferes with the flow older school players like, with crouch jumping, jumping in the air to get high levels. We certainly don’t want to take away old comfy pillows like that from players,” said Holmes.

Moving forward, the next step for 343 Industries is to continue Halo 5’s development, using the data the studio has gathered from the game’s early beta. Holmes explained there are a number of things his team is still not happy with and that the beta has given 343 Industries valuable insight in terms of what needs to be changed in order to move the game’s development forward.

The beta ran from Dec. 29, 2014 through to Jan. 18, 2015. The game is set to be released at some point in late 2015 or early 2016 for Microsoft’s Xbox One.

Below is a full list of the changes coming to Halo 5 as a result of data pulled from the game’s beta.

Abilities

Increase base speed (faster base movement)

Increase strafe acceleration (faster, more responsive strafing)

Reduce top sprint speed (narrow the delta between base movement and sprint)

Weapons

Sniper Rifle: improve scope experience to making it less “clunky” and faster to scope in

DMR: adjust position of the scope to improve visibility

Bring back the SPNKr Rocket Launcher as a legendary version of the weapon

Reduce bonuses for automatic weapons in Smart-Link & w/ headshots

Remove grenade detonation in mid-air based on weapon fire

Ability to turn on/off vibration feedback for weapons

General tuning and bug fixing for all weapons

Presentation

Post-death replay: this will become an opt-in feature. After death, players will see a traditional follow-cam and have the option to view a replay of their death from the killer’s perspective (as long as the feature is enabled within the playlist)

Medals: decrease frequency and number of medals displayed in the medal feed

Spartan chatter: players will have the option to turn this on or off in the settings menu

Adding highlights to placed/dropped weapons to make them easier to see

General tuning for announcer and Spartan chatter to reduce the frequency of events and focus on the information that matters most to players

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/halo-5-guardians-the-developers-tells-us-how-beta-data-will-help-shape-the-games-future/feed1Halo 5patrickorourkeHalo 5 statisticsHalo 5: GuardiansHalo 5: GuardiansHalo 5: GuardiansJust like hockey and football: theScore launches new eSports app, will cover games like any other sporthttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-score-launches-new-esports-focused-app
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-score-launches-new-esports-focused-app#commentsWed, 04 Feb 2015 20:31:44 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=588463]]>On Wednesday, Toronto-based media company theScore announced it’s launching a new eSports-focused mobile app and website, set to cover the growing professional gaming industry at the same level it reports on traditional sports.

TheScore’s audience has grown to over 10 million active monthly users and places an emphasis on telling stories in a non-traditional way, focusing on media-rich reporting. The platform’s new content team will consist of 30 editors and its first app, theScore eSports, released on Android today.

“theScore eSports’ news coverage will be spearheaded by a number of seasoned eSports’ writers and editors, including theScore eSports’ senior reporter Rod ‘Slasher’ Breslau,” reads a press release about the site’s launch. One of the project’s Supervising Editor editors, Matt Demers, has written for Post Arcade in the past.

ESports is an industry focused on competitive video game playing, as well as watching – often through popular live streaming platform Twitch – and has an estimated overall audience of approximately 71 million viewers, according to a New York-based video game market research firm called SuperData.

Other eSports related viewership numbers include 32 million people tuning in to watch League of Legends Season 3 world championship back in 2013.

“Esports has grown exponentially in the last few years, much off the backs of increased technological advancements in key areas such as live streaming and lower video bandwidth costs in general. The importance of mobile has been felt throughout all media businesses and verticals on the internet, and esports content will be no different in changing consumption habits. These factors combined make me believe that mobile is the next big frontier to challenge in competitive gaming,” said Breslau in an interview with Postmedia.

Similar to other professional sports, eSports has passionate fans, rival teams, popular athletes, and even match-fixing related controversies. ESports’ most popular games are often free-to-play titles like League of Legends (LoL), Dota 2 and Hearthstone, with each title attracting millions in sponsorship and advertising dollars.

“In our view, eSports should be treated as a fully fledged sport,” said John Levy, founder and CEO of theScore, in a press release.

TheScore’s eSports app is set to focus on providing breaking news and live scores from professional leagues around the world in Europe, China, South Korea and North America, as well as covering the Dota 2, Counter-Strike: GO, Call of Duty, Star Craft II and Hearthstone pro scenes.

TheScore already has apps dedicated to most traditional sports including soccer, NFL, NCAA football, MLB, NBA and a variety of other professional leagues.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-score-launches-new-esports-focused-app/feed1eSportspatrickorourkeThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D review: An underappreciated classic is revivedhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-legend-of-zelda-majoras-mask-3d-review-an-underappreciated-classic-is-revived
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-legend-of-zelda-majoras-mask-3d-review-an-underappreciated-classic-is-revived#commentsWed, 04 Feb 2015 16:48:12 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=588436]]>The first time I played The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask I was 11. My experience felt rushed because of its strange time-shifting system, the game’s tone was strangely dark and in general, Majora’s Mask didn’t feel like it was a true Zelda game.

Interestingly enough, the reasons why I disliked Majora’s Mask back in 2000, are the same reasons why I now feel it’s one of the Zelda franchise’s most innovative, interesting and underappreciated games today. It might be extremely weird and dark, but that’s also part of the game’s charm. However, it’s far from perfect and at times can be downright frustrating.

Nintendo’s 3D Zelda remakes are always interesting from a visual perspective. Both Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time look spectacular on the 3DS, but at first glance the graphical update never seems that significant. Our minds have a funny way of making us think games from our childhood look much better today than they actually do.

Go back and take a look at the original Majora’s Mask – the game looks like a blurry, textureless mess. The 3DS remake of Majora’s Mask features significantly upgraded visuals and nearly every aspect of the game’s graphics have been improved in some way. The game’s 3D effect is even bearable if you’re playing the game on the New 3DS and actually adds an additional level of depth to the experience (the second nub on the 3DS also comes in handy, allowing players to control the game’s sometimes wonky camera).

In terms of other upgrades in this remake, the Bomber’s Notebook is easier to navigate and alarms can be set to remind players of timed events, a major and sometimes still frustrating part of Majora’s Mask. A few other minor tweaks have been made to the game as well, with one of the most interesting changes making a particularly difficult boss much easier than in the original version of Majora’s Mask, as well as a slew of other minor tweaks only hardcore Zelda fans will likely notice.

Majora’s Mask 3D also features the same gyroscope controls as Ocarina of Time 3D, although I rarely took advantage of this aiming method since the 3DS’ circle pad is a more accurate way to aim your weapon. The ability to select weapons via the 3DS touchscreen has been added to the game as well.

I’m still waiting for Goron Racer: 2015. Rolling around as a Goron is surprisingly fun in Majora’s Mask. [Nintendo]

All of these new additions to Majora’s Mask are great, just like they were when Nintendo released Ocarina of Time 3D back in 2012, but the big question is whether or not the gaming experience Majora’s Mask provides the player has aged well. From my perspective it certainly has, and I’d also say I’ve grown to see the game in a new light over my 20 plus hours with this remake.

With a few exceptions – Zelda II on the NES and the more recent A Link Between Worlds for the 3DS, as well as some of the series’ DS offshoots – Zelda titles typically follow a similar mold. Players move between dungeons collecting the same weapons and encounter the similar locations and characters. You’ll move through Hyrule Castle, hangout with the citizens of the Kakariko Village and get access to a Hookshot, Boomerang and various other Zelda series’ tools and weapons.

While many franchise mainstays are still a big part of Majora’s Mask, the ability to wear a Deku Scrub, Goron and Zora Mask, allowing Link to transform into one of the three creatures, and in turn, giving him new abilities, is one of the most interesting mechanics ever featured in a Zelda game.

Being a Zora is kind of like becoming a dolphin that can shoot stuff out of its arms. [Nintendo]

Even the game’s world, called Termina, is one of the series’ darkest and most interesting Zelda settings. Because of this, Majora’s Mask’s dungeons are challenging and different. They don’t feature the same puzzles and dungeon mechanics present in almost every Zelda title, making the game a refreshing change of pace for longtime Zelda fans. Although the Snowhead Temple is still mind-bendingly difficult and is also definitely Majora’s Mask’s equivalent of the Water Temple.

Also, why are so many of the Zora’s in a rock band?

The time spent between dungeons in Majora’s Mask is also different from most Zelda games and makes up a significant portion of the experience. Players are tasked with hunting down various masks by helping out the citizens of Termina. Many of these events are timed, requiring the player to be at a certain place or to perform a certain action at a specific time during one of the game’s three days. This mechanic, that I once hated because it prevented me from exploring the game’s world at my own leisure, adds a sense of urgency and tension I’ve never experienced in a Zelda title before.

Majora’s Mask is one of the Zelda series darkest and most strange games. [Nintendo]

I finished the Snowhead Temple after hours of tinkering and experimentation with less than five minutes remaining in Majora’s Masks’ three-day cycle. My palms were sweaty and the menacing moon was always floating above, waiting to crash and destroy the world. These facts never left my mind during my with Majora’s Mask. Thankfully I managed to take down the temple’s boss before having to rewind time, but the thought of repeating the entire dungeon was a devastating proposition at the time.

There’s also the argument Majora’s Masks’ time-bending mechanic is a cheap way to make the game longer, and in some ways it is. It can also make the game extremely frustrating, especially when it forces you to do the same thing repeatedly.

Back in the late 90s, Majora’s Mask was developed over what is believed to be two years, considerably less than the average Zelda title, so the game’s creators needed to find a unique way to make Majora’s Masks’ experience feel longer than it really is. But the time-changing mechanic works, and even though it’s at times frustrating, it is also creative and different, two words that don’t often describe recent entries in the Zelda franchise.

In Majora’s Mask the moon constantly looms over you waiting to crash to the earth, destroying Termina in the process. [Nintendo]

Majora’s Mask still won’t be for everyone and it can at times be ridiculously frustrating. I resorted to using a walkthrough to make it through certain portions of the game more than I’d like to admit, and I had to repeat many of the game’s dungeons because I ran out of time and the angry moon was ready to crash down to the earth’s surface.

8.5/10

If you’re a fan of the original Majora’s Mask, playing this remake is an obvious decision, but even if you’re like me and you weren’t particularly fond of the game when it was originally released over 15 years ago, you might be surprised at how inventive Majora’s Mask really is.

I’d even say Majora’s Mask has aged better than the Zelda title many people believe is the pinnacle of the Zelda franchise – Ocarina of Time.

Unfortunately CraveTV’s biggest drawback is that in order to access the platform, users need to already be a Bell television subscriber or have a subscription to one of Bell Media’s partnered TV services. This means cord cutters who don’t have a traditional cable subscription will be blocked out of subscribing to CraveTV.

If the recent statement from Bell Media’s president, Kevin Crull, is any indication, CraveTV opening the floodgates and allowing those who don’t subscribe to a traditional television to use their new streaming video platform, will likely never happen.

In contrast to Bell Media’s stance on cord cutters and people who don’t subscribe to a traditional TV service, Rogers and Shaw have repeatedly stated the platform may open up to all users at some point. In order to subscribe to shomi right now, a customer only needs a subscription to a pre-existing Rogers or Shaw service, whether it’s Internet or television.

Of course there are ways around these subscription issues, particularly when it comes to CraveTV. If you have friends or, more likely, parents still clinging to their traditional cable subscriptions, simply ask them to share their password or even to subscribe to the service on your behalf. While this is a violation of both CraveTV and shomi’s terms-of-service, it’s unlikely either streaming platform will discover your nefarious ways.

The platform’s interface adopts a minimalist approach to browsing content and will be familiar to anyone who uses Netflix. Despite a few technical glitches and the occasional bout of lag while scrolling through CraveTV’s library, the service’s interface is largely solid. However in certain instances CraveTV’s video streaming window launches off centre when using Google Chrome.

At launch, according to Bell Media, 65% or 320 titles in CraveTV’s library are exclusive to the platform. Content found on Hulu like Inside Amy Schumer, Tosh.0 and 30 Rock, populates much of CraveTV’s library, as well as the recently announced exclusive series, Manhattan. Every season of Seinfeld is also available on the platform.

CraveTV’s biggest draw is the platform’s HBO content. [Screenshot]

But the most appealing feature is affordable access to HBO’s back-catalogue of content. While users won’t be able to watch the latest episodes of Game of Thrones or any HBO show still airing, CraveTV gives access to The Sopranos, The Wire, Hung and even HBO mini-series like Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Due to the absence of HBO Go in Canada — HBO’s mobile streaming U.S.-only streaming platform — CraveTV is also the only way to legally access HBO content in Canada without a traditional cable subscription to HBO, or a costly subscription to another Bell Media owned property, The Movie Network (TMN). TMN is priced at approximately $20 a month depending on your service provider (although TMN does have an app that gives users access to on-air series like Game of Thrones).

All of this might sound very promising, and it is, especially given CraveTV’s $4 a month subscription fee, a price tag significantly under Netflix’s and shomi’s $8.99 a month cost. Unfortunately, much likely shomi — arguably even to a greater extent given the Bell television subscription requirement and reluctance to budge on this restriction — not opening up the service to everyone will be a significant issue for most people interested in subscribing to CraveTV and also limits the platform’s audience.

While CraveTV is apparently available to all television providers, Telus Optik, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Aliant FibreOP TV, Bell Satellite TV, Eastlink, Northwestern, are Bell Media’s only current participating partners. But the main issue with the platform still remains, users still need to have a traditional television subscription to access CraveTV.

For some reason CraveTV doesn’t seem to have a recommendation feature like other streaming platforms. [Screenshot]

If the idea behind CraveTV was to move Bell Media into the Internet-streaming video future, then the company has certainly failed at its goal.

Much like shomi, a wait-and-see policy is likely the best way to approach CraveTV right now. The HBO content is a huge selling feature of the platform, as is its price, especially if you’re already a Bell television subscriber.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/cravetv-is-bells-netflix-competitor-worth-4-a-month/feed0CraveTVpatrickorourkeCraveTVCraveTVGarena eSports limits number of gay, transgender women in League of Legends tournamenthttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/esports-league-limits-number-of-gay-transgendered-women-in-league-of-legends-tournament
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/esports-league-limits-number-of-gay-transgendered-women-in-league-of-legends-tournament#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 19:03:22 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=588226]]>Update: Garena has released a statement reversing the discriminatory policies.

“Our initial ruling on LGBT player restrictions within the Iron Solari League has created a lot of good discussion and debate over the past 24 hours. After discussing the ruling with our partners and re-examining our approach, we have decided to remove these restrictions completely. This means that any player who self-identifies as female will be allowed to participate. We sincerely apologize for any offense we caused to the LGBT and gaming communities.

Our original intent when we put together this tournament was to promote diversity in the competitive gaming community. Hence, we are grateful to our players who have consistently provided their feedback to help us learn and improve as we strive to develop an inclusive gaming environment for all. We’ll also be keeping our promise of having an open dialogue with all parties as we plan this and future events.

We hope you will tune in to support these awesome teams and players in this upcoming tournament.

Garena Philippines eSports”

The original story about the controversy is below:

A relatively large eSports league based in the Philippines called Garena eSports, has created a stir in the professional gaming community after revealing its gender-specific women-only tournament, dubbed The Iron Solari, will restrict the number of “lesbian, gay [and] transgendered women” to one player per team, in their next League of Legends (LoL) tournament.

“Each team will be allowed to have a maximum of one (1) Gay/Transgendered woman for the entirety of the tournament day. Therefore, teams cannot do the following: Team_A’s first game will be 4 female members and 1 gay, then on Team_A’s second game, they will have 4 female members and replace with another gay or transgender member,” reads a “ruling update” on Garena eSports’ official website.

Aside from the problematic premise of limiting LGBT participation to one player per team, the policy also lumps transgender (the preferred term, not “transgendered”) women and gay women. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not the same thing.

The league cites the dubious concern of LGBT women have an “unfair advantage” in the tournament.

“On the other hand, for any competitions, we seriously look at ensuring there’s a fair level playing field for all participants. And there are arguments and concerns from other participants who disputes that Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered Women members may probably have some unfair advantage.”

The league claims it consulted those who participated in previous Iron Solari tournaments, particularly members of the LGBT community, before making this decision.

“We’ve given a lot of thought on this subject, and we’ve similarly consulted and talked with various parties including the female teams who joined the 1st leg of Iron Solari, and a number of LoL players belonging to the Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered Women community. ”

Garena eSports goes on to explain the league wants to create an “inclusive” environment, but that the new rules were included to ensure the tournament remains fair and balanced. Garena reportedly has a history of similar strange decisions related to gender.

Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends, is often heavily involved in the eSports scene related to their flagship game, but is known to not have direct-involvement in international tournaments. Many are calling for Riot Games to intervene and fine Garena eSports for the league’s discriminatory policies. The developer recently tweeted the below statement regarding its stance on LGBT players.

LGBT players are welcome at official LoL tourneys. We're working with partners to ensure consistency with our values across all regions.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/esports-league-limits-number-of-gay-transgendered-women-in-league-of-legends-tournament/feed1leagueoflegendspatrickorourkeSony Online Entertainment sold to management firm, renamed Daybreak Game Companyhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/sony-online-entertainment-sold-to-management-firm-and-renamed-daybreak-game-company
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/sony-online-entertainment-sold-to-management-firm-and-renamed-daybreak-game-company#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 23:34:09 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=587961]]>After almost 20 years, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), the developer of EverQuest, Planetside, DC Universe Online and the recently released H1Z1, has been sold by Sony to an investment firm called Columbus Nova.

The developer is set to operate as an independent game studio under a new name, Daybreak Game Company. This means the development studio will likely begin creating games for other platforms such as the Xbox One and the Wii U, as well as Android and iOS-based mobile devices. Previously as first-party developer, SOE was only able to make games for PlayStation platforms as well as the PC.

“Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well-known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more!”

Daybreak’s new studio president John Smedley recently tweeted he’s excited to begin development on Xbox One games, confirming rumours the developer would begin creating video games for the competing Xbox One platform.

SOE was originally founded as an internal Sony development studio in the mid-90s and is best known for creating EverQuest, an early and very influential massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The studio also developed other MMO-style games like The Matrix Online, Star Wars Galaxies and Planetside.

In terms of recent projects, Daybreak Game Company recently released H1Z1, a zombie survival MMO sandbox video game and was still developing EverQuest Next, the next title in its popular EverQuest franchise. Both these games will likely now make their way to Xbox platforms.

Columbus Nova is an investment firm based in New York and Silicon Valley that manages more than $15-billion in assets. Columbus Nova also owns Rhapsody, a video chat service called Rabbit and an online marketplace called Riverr, as well as numerous other technology related properties.

After playing most of Telltale’s adventure game series I’ve been feeling burnt out on the genre lately, but the internet furor surrounding Life is Strange caught my attention. Still, even after reading a few stories about the game, I didn’t completely know what to expect. The game is set in a high school and features a girl with time rewinding powers? Sounds weird – but that’s also why the game works so well.

While the Life is Strange’s first episode called Chrysalis, has awkward moments, particularly when it comes to writing, its inventive premise and interesting setting kept me playing through the Dontnod Entertainment’s Square Enix published title.

The game is set in an arts school called the Blackwell Academy, and follows Max Caulfield, a stereotypical”quirky” girl who has few friends and a healthy obsession with photography. Caulfield miraculously has the ability to rewind time, a power she discovers after witnessing a fatal incident involving an old friend, allowing the player to move through the game’s various sequences multiple times to uncover different outcomes.

The Walking Dead game and Telltale’s other series have branching story paths, but in order to play through each one you need to start over to view the different outcomes. Life is Strange does the same thing only you can rewind time instantly and view each branching story without playing through the entire episode again.

Essentially the player is given the opportunity to perform a “do over,” although every decision you make will reportedly also effect the outcome of the game’s story in later episodes. While not particularly inventive, the ability to instantly see how different decisions might change the outcome of a situation is a gratifying and compelling experience.

The very angsty Chloe is one of Life is Strange’s more interesting supporting characters. [Square Enix]

The title’s high school setting and teen-girl-with-super-powers story is hardly original, but its a story rarely explored in video games, and remains refreshing throughout Life Is Strange, despite a few bouts of painfully awkward dialogue and inconsistent voice acting quality.

Characters spout phrases filled with words like “hella” and other painful teenage jargon that feels outdated, making portions of the game’s dialogue feel laughably forced. The game’s writers are obviously adults desperately trying to write appropriate dialogue for Life is Strange’s teenage characters. While their efforts are commendable and Life is Strange’s dialogue – an important part of any adventure game – is mostly compelling, a few sections are just a little too much.

Ashley Burch (from popular internet video series “Hey Ash, Watcha Playin'”) voices Chloe, Caulfield’s long-lost, blue-haired, extremely angsty best friend, and is one of the game’s few standout supporting characters. However it’s important to point out Caulfield’s voice actor, Hannah Telle, is also great. In terms other issues, one thing that pulled me out of the experience is that character mouths are ridiculously out of sync with their words.

Life is Strange follows the same mold as Telltale Games’ popular adventure game series. [Square Enix]

Even keeping in mind the fact that Life is Strange’s development studio is extremely small, the weird lip-syncing issues are inexcusable and pulled me out of the game’s world on a number of occasions. With that said, Life is Strange is also a great looking game and can at times be breathtaking, especially towards the end of the first episode. Characters have a unique art style that’s reminiscent of The Walking Dead game’s cartoony look, but with an added dash of realism.

Life is Strange works best when you’re exploring its high school setting, talking to students, and learning about their lives. Characters are the typical jocks, awkward art kids and the rich mean girl archetypes, but in the context of a video game, and the fact that I became personally invested in finding out more information about their back stories as well as their motivations and lives, kept me interested in learning more about Life is Strange’s surprisingly intricate world.

During my first play through of Chrysalis, I apparently missed a number of minor interactions, even though I scoured every area looking for objects and people to interact with. So it seems like the game needs a more obvious way to indicate to the player what they’re actually able to manipulate and change.

Life is Strange’s main character Max Caulfield is a “gifted photographer.” [Square Enix]

Overall, Life is Strange is promising despite its somewhat awkward dialogue and lip-syncing issues. It may follow the new-age adventure game mold set by Telltale Games a little too closely, but that’s okay – Telltale’s games are generally great for a reason. Why fix what isn’t broken?

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/life-is-strange-episode-1-review-awkward-but-promising/feed0Life is StrangepatrickorourkeLife is StrangeLife Is StrangeLife is Strange's main character Max Caulfield is a "gifted photographer."Popular file-sharing website, The Pirate Bay, is back onlinehttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/the-pirate-bay-is-back-online
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/the-pirate-bay-is-back-online#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 17:12:50 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=587662]]>After the Pirate Bay’s data centre – which is rumored to be located in a nuclear-proof building in a mountain somewhere near Stockholm, Sweden – was raided by authorities, many assumed the Internet’s most popular file-sharing website would be gone for good.

But Pirate Bay is online yet again, coming back a day ahead of its speculated return – Jan 31.

Since going down in December, a variety of cryptic images have graced the homepage of Pirate Bay. One featured a waving Pirate Flag, but the most recent image depicted a phoenix and a countdown clock set to end on Feb. 1, alongside several other hints that the site planned to reappear that day.

The look and feel of the new Pirate Bay is familiar to anyone who has used the site in the past. User accounts have also returned, however “Contact Us, “RSS” and “Register,” still aren’t working and result in a 404 error. The site’s recent Torrents list also indicates that the entire website’s database of torrents seems to still be intact, with the latest upload occurring on Dec 9. 2014, the same day Pirate Bay was pulled offline. On Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, Pirate Bay’s website was inaccessible on numerous occasions, presumably because traffic to the website was likely significant.

The biggest change to the website’s operations according to Torrent Freak, is the site’s staff no longer have access to Pirate Bay’s popular moderation panel. This is reportedly to streamline site management and make it harder to be brought down in the future. Pirate Bay’s moderation tools, which allowed moderators to pull fake torrents and label trusted sources, is one of the main features that helped the website become one of the most popular file-sharing sources on the internet.

This has led some former Pirate Bay staff members to launch their own version of the website. While Pirate Bay was offline, various spin-off Pirate Bay sites have been created, with Isohunt.to’s OldPirateBay.org, an archive of Pirate Bay’s hosted torrents, becoming the most notable after receiving millions of visitors a day.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/the-pirate-bay-is-back-online/feed0piratebay2patrickorourkeDying Light’s free running system is what makes the game compellinghttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/dying-lights-free-running-system-is-what-makes-the-game-compelling
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/dying-lights-free-running-system-is-what-makes-the-game-compelling#commentsFri, 30 Jan 2015 22:52:40 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=586545]]>After spending around six to eight hours with Techland’s latest zombie epic, Dying Light, I’ve realized the act of taking down zombies isn’t the most interesting part of the game – it’s the death defying leaps that stem from its free-running traversal system.

I came to this realization during my fourth attempt at climbing a communications tower. Do I jump to the left? What about to the right? Or maybe I need to drop down to the platform over there? Is that even a platform? Whatever I decide to do, I need to remember not to look down. The sense of visceral vertigo in Dying Light feels real, and is amplified by the game’s first-person perspective. The harrowing experience made me wonder what playing the game with an Oculus Rift VR headset would be like.

The hordes of undead below me were nothing more than a simple afterthought at this point – climbing this tower was my new enemy and I enjoyed this change of pace more than I expected.

That’s not to say Dying Light’s combat, focused on taking down rotting foes with various makeshift weapons, is bad, in fact, I think this is the game Poland-based development studio, Techland, wanted to create back when they released Dead Island in 2011.

It’s not like Dying Light’s combat system is bad, it’s just bounding across building is what makes the game feel “different.” [Techland]

I held my breathe and leaned forward on my couch in the real world as my character leaped towards a new part of the tower’s scaffolding. I miscalculated my jump and plummeted to the ground. I guess it’s time to try again.

Before I made it to this particular radio tower I was in the process of crafting a harrowing escape from a horde of hungry zombies, bounding across rooftops and doing whatever I could to not touch the ground, one of the many thing you should never do in Dying Light if you want to stay alive. This game isn’t about killing hordes of zombies, and instead is more about finding creative ways to avoid them.

Dead Island was full of impressive and ambitious concepts, but the game ultimately didn’t have the same level of polish as other big budget titles out at the time. Some people enjoyed Dead Island’s quirky glitches but I didn’t, especially after being the lucky recipient of the game’s dreaded saved file corruption issue. Dead Island was filled with silly glitches, many of them game-breaking, as well as strange graphical flaws, but when it comes to Dying Light, at least so far, my experience has been extremely smooth and is a huge step forward in terms of quality for Techland.

It’s almost as if Warner Bros. (Dying Light’s publisher) actually gave Techland extra time to polish the game – which they did – a concept it seems like Deep Silver (Dead Island’s publisher) wasn’t fond of. This is what likely lead to Techland parting ways from Deep Silver in the first place.

That machete is a good tool for taking down the undead. [Techland]

The game’s parkour system is also even significantly better than the somewhat confusing build of Dying Light I played at E3 this year. Back then I walked away impressed with the game’s day/night cycle, next-gen visuals and the ambition of its free-running system, but clamouring over objects, a gameplay element the Techland developer seated beside me at the time explained was an integral part of his studio’s vision for Dying Light, felt “off” in some way. I couldn’t always latch onto the objects I wanted to and it felt like I was constantly ramming my character’s head against walls unintentionally.

In a game like this fighting a cumbersome control system is never a good thing.

Thankfully, while Dying Light’s traversal system does take some getting used to, it’s superb, accurate and most importantly, fun, if you invest enough time into understanding its intricacies. The game’s levelling system also does a great job of throwing new abilities into the mix – like jumping across the heads of zombies – ensuring things remain feeling fresh and entertaining.

Techland has managed to make taking bounding leaps across rooftops feel just right. My first hour or so trying to get the hang of leaping between red and yellow stripped platforms was filled with obscenities (as seen through my recent two-hour live stream embedded below).

But with a little bit of effort and a dash of commitment, I was gliding across roof tops and swinging on poles with ease.

The parkour in Dying Light really is the key feature separating it from Dead Island and is likely the game’s biggest draw. Without the ability to climb on almost any surface, Dying Light is just a more polished, less glitchy version of a game that came out back in 2011, which might be what some people want, but not me. The game’s mission structure is repetitive and involves the same, “go here, retrieve that,” fetch quests that have been present in every Dead Island title, and the first 30 minutes of Dying Light certainly doesn’t do it any favours (this portion of Dying Light involves a cutscene that feels like it’s never going to end as well as a tedious tutorial system).

Free running is the feature that sets Dying Light apart from the slew of other nearly identical big budget, ultra-violent games on the market and is what makes the game fun.

Climb up a monstrous tower, look down, then try to find a way back to the surface, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/dying-lights-free-running-system-is-what-makes-the-game-compelling/feed1dying lightpatrickorourkeDying LightThat machete is a good tool for taking down the undead. Sega announces over 300 job cuts as the company restructureshttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/sega-announces-over-300-job-cuts-as-the-company-restructures
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/sega-announces-over-300-job-cuts-as-the-company-restructures#commentsFri, 30 Jan 2015 17:53:21 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=586526]]>On Friday Sega announced it has plans to cut as many as 300 jobs, offering many of those affected “early retirement,” which also includes severance packages, as the company restructures its business with a focus on PC and mobile games.

However, cuts will not be limited to early retirement offers and other employees will be affected by layoffs as well. Sega also announced plans to close its San Francisco office and relocate to southern California.

120 of those affected are employees of Sega America. The downsizing is expected to begin this month and continue through the summer.

“We are confident that by relocating to Southern California we will be able to thrive, grow and become a stronger company because of it,” said Sega of America president John Cheng, in a press release.

In a press release, Sega explain the upcoming cuts to the company’s operations will help it restructure into three regional business groups, and that Sega’s new focus will be on PC and mobile gaming, although the developer did not rule out the possibility of still developing console titles.

Sega has projected net sales of $3.14-billion for 2015, slightly down from fiscal 2014 estimates. The company also expects to earn $33.9-million in profit in 2015, a significant decrease from its $260-million profit earnings from 2014.

Already announced upcoming Sega game releases will reportedly not be affected.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/sega-announces-over-300-job-cuts-as-the-company-restructures/feed1segapatrickorourkeHow Toronto-based Nymi wants to replace passwords with heart rate authenticationhttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/nymi-wants-to-replace-passwords-with-heart-rate-authentication
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/nymi-wants-to-replace-passwords-with-heart-rate-authentication#commentsThu, 29 Jan 2015 21:21:11 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=585837]]>Whether it’s logging into a work computer, bank account or even something as simple as unlocking a smartphone, passwords are a necessary and often highly frustrating complication of everyday life.

Toronto-based Nymi, formerly known as Bionym, wants to simplify the password-entering process through its electrocardiography (ECG) bracelet that shares the same name as the company behind it – Nymi.

We already have fingerprint scanners, facial recognition technology, and even retinal scanners, but Dr. Karl Martin, Nymi’s CEO and co-founder, wants to take the concept of user authentication further, making the process simpler than ever before.

“The core technology around the recognition was researched at the University of Toronto. I had a co-founder at the time who was working on the technology (I was working on other biometric technologies at the time) and we started Bionym. We started with the technology without a concept of how to use it, but there was a concept that came out of that research — continuous authentication ECG,” says Martin.

Martin thinks Nymi’s ECG technology could be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from giving the wearer instant access to their smartphone, logging into a PC user account or even turning on a vehicle, all authenticated by wearing the Nymi.

“We were really looking to licence this technology and its algorithms, but about two years into the business we realized, well, number one, we want to bring a product to market and that the real power of the concepts were the continued persistence of knowing who this person is [through ECG]. We very quickly realized that to enable this we needed something wearable — something on the body. Because if it’s just your phone or something in your pocket, there’s really no mechanism to always ensure that it’s you that’s with it.”

Martin explained Nymi’s form factor ended up becoming a wrist band because it was the “easy, first to market, logical approach,” but also mentioned Nymi could potentially adopt a different shape in the future, and also didn’t rule out his company’s ECG algorithm technology finding its way into other forms of wearable technology such as smartwatches. While there are currently no examples of the device being used in this particular way, the Nymi also contains a gyroscope and accelerometer, allowing the device to support gesture-based unlocking techniques, potentially adding an additional level of security to the device.

Nymi analyzes and stores a person’s ECG, a measure of not only your heart rate but also the electrical activity generated by the heart, and then uses this information to authenticate access through the Nymi armband, all via a low energy Bluetooth connection.

An ECG is dependent on the size, position and physiology of someone’s heart, and is unique to each individual, similar to the way every person on earth has a unique fingerprint. In terms of aesthetic, the Nymi looks very similar to the Fitbit, snapping onto the user’s wrist like a bracelet via a magnetic clasp. After this step is completed, all the user needs to do is tap a small metallic plate on the surface of the device to create what Martin calls a “loop circuit,” verifying the wearer’s ECG.

The user is authenticated as long as they continue to wear the Nymi. [Handout/Nymi]

The Nymi continuously monitors the wearer’s ECG, so if the device is cut off or the clasp opens, it deactivates immediately.

Essentially, taping the Nymi creates a complete circuit and allows the device to obtain the information it needs, in turn identifying and authenticating the user. The Nymi makes sure you are who you say you are, and in order to combat variable heart rates, records data over the course of various days to ensure you’ll still be able to access the device you’re unlocking even if your ECG signal is a little abnormal.

Nymi is currently shipping what the company is calling its “Discover Kit,” a relatively early build of Nymi’s technology focused on encouraging creators to come up with new ways to take advantage of the Nymi. When developers get their hands on the Nymi, they’re able to download the armband’s companion application (right now it’s only available on Windows devices, but will be coming to other platforms), a simple computer unlock program, and development apk., a file format used to distribute and install Android application software.

During a recent visit to Nymi’s office, Martin showed off the armband’s ECG capabilities, unlocking a Windows-based computer using only the Nymi, after going through the device’s surprisingly simple initial setup process. Without entering a single password, Martin was able to log into his computer only by taping the Nymi on his wrist.

According to Martin, the next step for Nymi is getting its Discover Kits in the hands of developers. Martin said his company has shipped 700 Nymis to developers and that the company is currently having difficulty fulfilling orders for the device.

The Nymi looks very similar to other wearables like the Fitbit. [Nymi/Handout]

“We’re seeing a lot of creative things in hackathons. Some of them are pretty wacky, like there was one that won a hackathon that used a Muse headband to detect if you’re drunk and then your Nymi band, which lets you start your car, won’t let you start the vehicle if you’re intoxicated. That’s the kind of stuff that’s obviously not being commercialized tomorrow.”

Martin said Nymi’s authentication component isn’t an application in itself really, and instead he envisions the concept enabling developers to create new, more interested experiences with his company’s technology. Moving forward the Nymi’s focus is currently enterprise business use, primarily because security and authentication is often linked closely to that world.

“A lot of our partnerships involve using this [the Nymi] for logging into computers in a network environment, and then we’re seeing sort of what the next logical use case around remote access, or two factor and three factor authentication. We’re also seeing a couple of interesting things come out where it’s not so much unlock and instead is focused on re-locking,” Martin says.

Today we have a mechanism for unlocking our computer — the traditional password — regardless of how frustrating the method can be sometimes, but what we don’t have is a way to automatically “re-lock” a device when you walk away from it, unless you remember to do so manually. Martin feels this is an area where Nymi could forge new ground with its unique ECG technology.

While enterprise is the company’s current focus, Martin also feels the Nymi has significant potential when it comes to eventually evolving into a consumer product, although he admits reaching that point could take some time.

One of the concrete examples of Nymi being used in a way that could appeal to the average consumer, is through “contactless” payments. The company recently partnered with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in order to take advantage of existing point-of-sale terminals and link the Nymi armband to the bank’s Mastercard, adding another level of authentication to the PayPass Tap and Go system that already exists in Canada.

Remembering that frustrating 20 letter monthly work password, that also needs to include a number, capital letter and a random character, could soon become a thing of the past, if the Nymi’s ECG technology becomes more popular.

Reserving the consumer version of the Nymi Band currently costs $149 and the developer Nymi Band Discovery Kit, currently listed on the company’s website, is also priced at $149.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/nymi-wants-to-replace-passwords-with-heart-rate-authentication/feed2NymipatrickorourkeNymiNymiFacebook has over 1.39 billion monthly active users, 890 million daily usershttp://o.canada.com/technology/techbiz/facebook-now-has-1-39-billion-active-users-890-million-daily-users
http://o.canada.com/technology/techbiz/facebook-now-has-1-39-billion-active-users-890-million-daily-users#commentsWed, 28 Jan 2015 21:48:51 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=585455]]>Despite claims Facebook’s decline is imminent, the world’s most popular social network has revealed it now has 1.39 billion active monthly users – a 13 per cent increase over last year – and 1.19 billion mobile users – a 26 per cent increase over last year – in its fourth-quarter 2014 earnings report released on Wednesday.

In terms of active users, Facebook revealed it now has 890 million daily visitors, an 8 per cent increase over last year, and 745 million mobile daily users, a 34 per cent increase over 2013.

Similar to its 2013 financial reports, Facebook is now separating mobile-only user numbers from overall active users. Since the third-quarter of 2014, Facebook has added 70 million mobile-only active users per month, bringing the social network’s smartphone user-base to 526 million. This means mobile users now amount to 37.8 per cent of Facebook’s overall audience.

Facebook defines mobile-only active monthly users as, “users who accessed Facebook solely through mobile apps or mobile versions of our website, or used our Messenger app, in the last 30 days of the given quarter.” Statistics released in the company’s annual report do not include Instagram or WhatsApp users.

Absent from Facebook’s Q4 report is how the company plans to monetize Facebook Messenger, the instant messaging-focused spin-off the company forced users to download late last year. However, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder and CEO, has revealed that a mobile payment system will be coming to Facebook Messenger at some point in the future.

“We got a lot done in 2014. Our community continues to grow and we’re making progress towards connecting the world,” said Mark Zuckerberg in Facebook’s annual report

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/techbiz/facebook-now-has-1-39-billion-active-users-890-million-daily-users/feed0US-IT-INTERNET-FACEBOOK-FILESpatrickorourkeFacebook q4Sony closing Music Unlimited, forges partnership with Spotifyhttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/sony-closing-music-unlimited-forges-partnership-with-spotify
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/sony-closing-music-unlimited-forges-partnership-with-spotify#commentsWed, 28 Jan 2015 20:11:12 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=585262]]>On Wednesday Sony revealed plans to launch a new Spotify-powered music streaming service on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and on Xperia smartphones and tablets.

The new streaming music platform – called PlayStation Music – will require a paid Spotify premium membership and is the first time Spotify has launched on a video game console.

As a result of Sony’s new agreement with Spotify, the company’s lacklustre Music Unlimited service will cease operations in 19 countries on March 29, and “nearly all” of those countries will get access to PlayStation Music. According to Sony, this includes “41 markets around the world” such as Canada, Mexico and Brazil. However, it’s likely any country that currently doesn’t have Spotify available will also not be able to access PlayStation Music.

As the pictures says, Spotify love PlayStation. [Sony]

Sony says PlayStation music will be “deeply integrated” into the PlayStation experience and will bring 30 million songs and 1.5 billion playlists to the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4.

PS4 owners will be able to stream Spotify content while playing games enabling them to, “soundtrack gaming sessions.”

“Music is a core component of the entertainment offering that consumers expect from Sony,” said Sony’s Andrew House, the company’s CEO.

“This partnership represents the best in music and the best in gaming coming together, which will benefit the vibrant and passionate communities of both Spotify and PlayStation Network. We’re thrilled to make Spotify the foundation of our strategy with PlayStation Music.”

If you’re already a Spotify subscriber, you’ll be able to link your existing account to PlayStation Music and also subscribe to Spotify Premium via the console’s PlayStation Network wallet.

Since modern Sony smartphones are Android based, Spotify has been available on the company’s Xperia mobile devices for some time now.

It’s currently unclear if users will need to be a PlayStation Plus subscriber – which costs $49.99 – in order to access PlayStation Music. Users with an active Music Unlimited Subscription will receive 30 days free of the service.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/sony-closing-music-unlimited-forges-partnership-with-spotify/feed0Sony PlayStationpatrickorourkespotifyMicrosoft sells 6.6 million Xbox consoles in Q4 2014, makes $26.5-billionhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/microsoft-sells-6-6-million-xbox-consoles-in-q4-2014-makes-26-5-billion
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/microsoft-sells-6-6-million-xbox-consoles-in-q4-2014-makes-26-5-billion#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 23:47:40 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=584836]]>Microsoft has said it sold 6.6 million Xbox consoles during the fourth quarter of 2014, the shopping season leading up to Christmas, earning revenue totaling $26.5-billion.

The tech giant’s total company income was $5.8-billion. Despite a rise in revenue, overall Xbox sales were down from last year during the same fiscal period. Over the holiday season last year Microsoft sold a total of 7.4 million Xbox units, but this number was split between 3.9 million Xbox One and 3.5 million Xbox 360 consoles.

This year’s financial report did not reveal the split between how many Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles were sold leading up to Christmas. In comparison Sony sold 4.1 million PlayStation 4 consoles during the same 2014 holiday shopping season, and 18.6 million units in total over the course of 2014. Microsoft has not revealed the total number of Xbox One consoles sold in 2014.

Microsoft’s Devices and Consumer division, which includes Surface products, Bing, Xbox and Windows Phone, as well as a few other Microsoft properties, grew 8 per cent over the course of 2014 and brought in a total revenue of $12.9-billion. Individual numbers for Microsoft’s Xbox brand were not released.

Increased quarter four sales Xbox were likely spurred by Microsoft dropping the base model of the Xbox One (that doesn’t include Kinect) to $349 from $399 in the United States. Microsoft also briefly brought the U.S. Xbox One price back up to $399 on Jan. 3, but then dropped it back down to $349 shortly after.

In Canada, the price remained at $399 throughout, though the price of the PlayStation 4 went up in Canada to $449 midway through the year.

According to a recent blog post on the social network’s official blog, these new “stories” will feature “full screen photos and videos, awesome long form layouts, and gorgeous advertising.”

Discover seems like it will act as an always-on Snapchat “channel guide,” focused on delivering users advertising and is the largest update to Snapchat’s services since its launching in 2011. It’s also the latest effort by Snapchat to monetize its user base, offering brands a way to connect with a younger audience. Monetization has long been an obstacle for many popular social networks, particularly Twitter.

Many companies are already using Snapchat’s Discover in a variety of ways. For example, Comedy Central’s channel features quick teasers from content like The Daily Show, Broad City, as well as Wordkaholics. ESPN has also posted a collection of highlights from various sports leagues.

Since its launch Snapchat has been a social network focused on closed, friend-specific sharing, requiring users to have their contacts phone numbers before being able to share content.

Then a few months ago the company introduced “Our Stories,” a new way for users to interact and share content with users not in their contact list. Out Stories gave users a collaborative timeline, allowing them to aggregate content related to a show or event, along with other Snapchat users. Our Stories actually works very similar to Twitter’s — as well as pretty much every other social network — hashtag feature, aggregating a content focused on a single event in one continuous stream.

The addition of Our Stories appeared to be a precursor to the launch of Discover. The new service will also apparently offer users a way to purchase music, movies and other products, effectively cutting out the need for a retail website and moving Snapchat, a service that was once only focused on sharing images, into the world of online payments.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/snapchat-launches-advertising-focused-feature-called-discover/feed0Evan SpiegelpatrickorourkeFeminist Frequency plans to create two new video game-focused serieshttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/feminist-frequency-plans-to-create-two-new-video-game-focused-series
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/feminist-frequency-plans-to-create-two-new-video-game-focused-series#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 21:54:20 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=584190]]>Feminist Frequency, the non-for-profit organization run by Anita Sarkeesian, known for its popular and controversial video game series, Tropes vs. Women in Video Games, announced it has plans to create two new video series, one focused on, “the representation of men and masculinity in video games,” and a second series featuring positive examples of female characters in gaming.

These two new video projects seem like a direct reaction to the main arguments many of Sarkeesian’s critics have against Feminist Frequency – the organization doesn’t discuss positive examples of women in video games, and that few of Feminist Freqency’s videos delve into analyzing masculinity in games.

Sarkeesian also stated her company will continue to produce Tropes vs. Women in Video Games and that their next video is entitled, “Women as Reward.” In terms of other future plans revealed in the company’s 2014 annual report, Sarkeesian stated her organization will continue to advocate for equitable online spaces, as well as to educate the public about gender related online harassment.

Feminist Frequency’s 2015 plans also include hiring additional staff members, building a new website, a new logo and also creating branded merchandise. The group’s objective has also changed, in part as a reaction to how prevalent gendered online harassment has been over the course of 2014, to “continue and expand efforts to advocate for equitable online spaces by educating and consulting on issues of gendered online harassment.”

“While Tropes vs Women in Video Games was originally a project examining women’s representations, the extreme harassment that I experience has become an intrinsic and inseparable part of this project, fundamentally changing my life and the landscape in which I release my videos. Gendered online harassment is not a new phenomenon, but the intensity of cyber mobs, especially in gaming, is increasing in frequency and severity. It became apparent to me that I should speak up and use my experience to help expose the epidemic of online abuse. Nearly half of my time is spent raising awareness on the epidemic of online harassment and working to help change policies on the institutional level. Some of these efforts are done publicly through Feminist Frequency’s website and social media presence, as well as countless media interviews and at public speaking events. But there is also work being done behind the scenes in private meetings and consultations with major social media and gaming platforms, and by partnering with other organizations to form a task force with the goal of ending online harassment.”

According to the report, the number of minutes users have spent watching Sarkeesian’s YouTube channel amount to over 70 years, or five million views. Information related to the financial expenditures as well as Feminist Frequency’s 2015 budget, have also been revealed.

Since launching a Kickstarter campaign for Tropes vs. Women in Video Games in 2012, Sarkeesian was the target of online harassment, but 2014 marked one of her most tumultuous years ever. In August she was driven out of her home due to death threats, which are still under investigation by the FBI, and she was also forced to cancel a Utah State speaking appearance following a shooting threat.

Feminist Frequency officially became a nonprofit in May 2014 and has grown significantly over the last 12 months. 2014 expenditures amounted to $64,200 and this year’s proposed budget is six times that amount, coming in at $400,000. Quarter four donations, the height of the misogynistic Gamergate movement, were $397,778, more than 90 per cent of total donations Feminist Frequency received that year.

Users no longer had to hunt down Torrent files on shady, pornography advertisement filled websites, and instead could simply click a single button in order to instantly stream any movie on Popcorn Time. Many people dubbed the platform “Netflix for pirates,” since all content located on Popcorn Time violates various international copyright laws.

It seems Popcorn Time has become so popular that it’s now on the radar of Netflix and its CEO Reed Hastings.

“Piracy continues to be one of our biggest competitors,” writes Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in a public letter to the company’s shareholder regarding the company’s 2014 earnings.

This marks a shift in Hastings’ opinion regarding piracy’s impact on Netflix. In an interview with Postmedia in 2013, Hasting’s explained he feels Netflix actually discourages people from pirating, and that he is confident the service is much easier for the average person to use when compared to illegally downloading a movie or television show.

“When we were first doing our research in Canada, a few years ago, it was stunning to us that relative to the U.S, suburban moms would openly talk about downloading movies and TV through (Torrents),” said Hastings during an interview at Postmedia’s head office in Toronto.

Popcorn Time has made piracy so simple that anyone can use it and the content present on the platform is often newer than what is present on Netflix.

Popcorn Time was originally developed by a group based out of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who feel that piracy is a “service problem,” citing the out of date attitude the music industry adopts to online streaming as their motivation behind creating the service. Since launching Popcorn Time has been pulled offline numerous times and the team behind the project has also changed repeatedly, since the service’s source code is available on hosting service, Github.

Despite the fact that Popcorn Time is now on Netflix’s radar, the company recently announced that in the fourth quarter of 2014 it made $1.48-billion in revenue, up from $1.18-billion during the same quarter last year.

Cryptic messages, such as a skull and crossbones and various timers, have appeared on the site over the past month, but the most recent message features a phoenix – likely symbolizing Pirate Bay rising from the ashes. This imagery was also used back in 2006 when Pirate Bay was taken down by a police raid.

The latest countdown date shown on Pirate Bay’s website is Feb. 1.

All of the website’s founders have served prison sentences related to copyright violations in 2009 stemming from their involvement in Pirate Bay, and claim to be no longer associated with the website. Peter Sunde, Pirate Bay’s most popular founder, recently stated in an interview with TorrentFreak that he “couldn’t care less” about the raid.

It’s speculated that a small collective of approximately 30 to 50 people are currently running Pirate Bay. One of its alleged owners, known as Mr 10100100000, online, has repeatedly stated in interviews that his team plans to bring the website back in some capacity.

Since Pirate Bay went offline hundreds of clone websites have cropped up on the Internet, hoping to capitalize on Pirate Bay’s popularity.

Since its creation in 2003 Pirate Bay has been one of the most popular file-sharing websites on the Internet and is known for giving users access to various forms of copyrighted material.

It’s bigger than the iPhone 6 Plus’ 5.5-inch screen and the Galaxy Tab’s 5.6-inch display, measuring in at an astounding 5.96 inches. Make no mistake, the Nexus 6 is for people who don’t mind looking a little silly while they use a phone that’s almost the size of an iPad Mini.

If you’re a fan of smaller phones, particularly the pint-sized (at least in comparison) Nexus 5, this isn’t the smartphone for you. The Nexus 6 is difficult for the average person to hold in one hand and also won’t fit in most people’s pockets, but having a large screen does have a number of advantages when it comes to Web browsing and playing games.

The Nexus 6’s back is more slippery than the Nexus 5’s. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

The phone is essentially a supersized version of Motorola’s superb Moto X, and also marks a shift from LG-manufactured Nexus branded smartphones, to devices created by Motorola. With this shift also comes the loss of one of the Nexus line’s most attractive features – price.

The appeal of Google’s Nexus line until now was always related to its very affordable price tag. When the Nexus 4 launched, users could get a high-end smartphone for just $299 – it was a borderline revolutionary idea given the price of most smartphones back in 2012. The Nexus 5 followed a similar budget pricing strategy and launched at $350.

Enter the Nexus 6 costs an astounding $750, putting it in the same price territory as other high-end smartphones like the LG G3 and the HTC One M8. Granted, it’s a much higher-quality manufactured device and better looking phone than previous Nexus-branded products, but the price hike between the Nexus 5 and 6 is a tad extreme, especially for those hoping to get their hands on another reasonably priced Nexus device.

The small dip in the back of the Nexus 6 actually makes it easier to hold on to. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

The release of the Nexus 6 also marks a shift in Google’s strategy from providing customers affordable Android smartphones, to competing with Apple and the iPhone, raising the price of their flagship line in an effort to encourage consumers to associate the term “Nexus” with a high-end product. Google adopted a similar strategy with its $429.99 8.9-inch Nexus 9 tablet.

But if neither price nor size is a concern for you, the Nexus 6 is one of the best looking and most powerful Android smartphones on the market.

The Nexus 6 doesn’t have any physical buttons, much like the Nexus 5 and 4, and its 5.96-inch above HD 2,560 x 1,440 screen – Google and Motorola are calling this “Quad HD” – is great for browsing the Internet and playing games, although the massive screen and resolution seems to have affected the smartphone’s battery life, despite its massive 3,220 mAh power source (which is the same as the Galaxy Note 4’s). With average use I ended up getting somewhere between seven and eight hours of battery life out of the Nexus 6, although this is decent for a high-end smartphone.

The smartphone’s rubberized back is easy to hold onto and also protects the phone, much like the Nexus 6 and other smartphones with similar builds. The small dip in the contoured back of the smartphone allows you to slide your index finger in and makes holding the Nexus 6 slightly easier, although in general the new plastic back is a little more slippery than the Nexus 5’s and also shows scuffs, grease and scratches more easily. In terms of other build related positives, the smartphone’s power and volume buttons feel more solid than previous Nexus models.

Since the Nexus 6 is a flagship Google phone, this also means owners will get their hands on the smartphone’s latest operating system right when it launches, which is a great for anyone concerned about Android’s heavily divided operating system. Android 5.0 Lollipop has been out for a few months (it’s also available on the Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and a few other high-end smartphones) and it’s a significant upgrade over previous Android operating systems, marking a new, extremely colourful direction for Android.

Lollipop is also clean, minimal and comes with a few new, interesting features like smart locking, allowing users to bypass the smartphone’s home screen when a known Bluetooth device is nearby, as well as general battery life and other performance upgrades.

The Nexus 6 comes equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera, a step above the Nexus 5’s 8-megapixel camera, as well as better optical stabilization. Overall though the camera is only a marginal upgrade over the Nexus 5’s photography capabilities, although it does perform better in low-light conditions, producing images with less noise than its predecessors.

The smartphone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor is also the best you can get in an Android smartphone right now, and is on par with most other high-end smartphones. Graphically-intensive games, multitasking, web browsing, as well as watching HD video, all work great, and I found it nearly impossible to get the smartphone to stutter, regardless of what app or how many apps I was running at the same time.

The Nexus 6 is a great phone, but it will only appeal to a specific demographic: those interested in “phablet” ultra-huge smartphones and who aren’t scared of dropping $750 (if you purchase it outright) on a smartphone. While the Nexus 6’s minimalist rubberized body looks decent, I still prefer the HTC One M8 and the LG G3’s brushed silver metal body, over the Nexus 6’s rubber backing, especially given the smartphones hefty price tag.

7/10

It’s also important to keep in mind the Nexus 6 isn’t a mass-consumer device, and other budget smartphones like the Moto G, Nokia Lumia 530 and HTC Desire 510, as well as a slew of other affordable devices, arguably fill that void much better than Google’s Nexus line ever did. Then there’s this argument: if you like the idea of the Nexus 6, but aren’t fond of its massive size, you could always just purchase the Moto X, since it’s almost exactly the same device and costs $600 outright from most wireless providers.

But if you’re a fan of massive phones and don’t mind the Nexus 6’s expensive price tag, Google and Motorola’s latest phone might be perfect for you.

Releasing the Nexus 6 at such a high price and with a premium audience in mind is a gamble for Google, and it’s unclear if the wager will pay off.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/nexus-6-review-big-pricey-and-high-end/feed1Nexus 6patrickorourkenexus6-2nexus6-3nexus6-4nexus6-5nexus6-1Rogers and Shaw sign deal to stream original Amazon video content to shomihttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/rogers-and-shaw-sign-deal-to-stream-original-amazon-tv-content-to-shomi
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/rogers-and-shaw-sign-deal-to-stream-original-amazon-tv-content-to-shomi#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 19:00:26 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=582411]]>Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. announced on Thursday that the two companies have signed a deal to stream Amazon.com Inc.’s original TV content via their jointly-owned streaming platform, Shomi.

The deal includes shows like “Transparent,” which won two Golden Globe Awards last week, as well as other original series like “Betas,” “Alpha House, and “Mozart in the Jungle.” Amazon revealed earlier this week that the company plans to start developing feature-length movies.

The Amazon shows will be distributed in Canada through an agreement with Sony Pictures Television, Shomi said.

Shomi, launched late last year, competes directly with other streaming platforms like BCE Inc.’s CraveTV and the current king of online streaming, Netflix Inc. CraveTV is the only online video streaming platform available in Canada that can stream HBOs back catalog of content, after signing an agreement with the company behind the popular “Game of Thrones” franchise late last year.

Amazon Prime Instant video is Amazon’s $99 video streaming platform and currently isn’t available in Canada. The company’s yearly subscription fee also includes two-day shipping through the company’s online store.

The move to sign a deal with Shomi likely indicates that Amazon has no future plans to launch their instant video platform in Canada. Currently both CraveTV and shomi have similar content – although both platforms do have some exclusives – when compared to what is available Netflix, forcing both platforms to find new ways to differentiate the content available on their platforms from competitors.

HoloLens aims to create an augmented reality experience that’s decidedly different from what the Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus want to offer, creating augmented reality (virtual) holograms, viewed through the HoloLens headset, rather than a closed, virtual reality experience that takes place in a virtual world.

The HoloLens was originally code named Project Baraboo and is helmed by the man behind the original Kinect and its Xbox One successor, Kinect 2.0, Microsoft Director Alex Kipman.

The headset is set to have a field of vision that spans 120 by 120 degrees, significantly farther than Kinect or Kinect 2.0’s view space. It also features an onboard CPU, GPU and a new processor Microsoft is calling an HPU (holographic processing unit).

The device also features what Microsoft is calling “spacial sound,” allowing the wearer to hear “holograms” behind them, and also uses similar motion sensing technology to Kipman’s other Microsoft creation, Kinect.

In order to create “holographs,” Microsoft’s HoloLens tricks the human brain into thinking light is matter, by making millions of light particles bounce around inside the device’s “light engine.” When light enters the headset’s lenses, it bounces between layers of blue, green and red before it makes it to the human eye, creating HoloLens’ unique 3D effect.

It’s unclear what specific purposes Microsoft has planned for the HoloLens, or whether the company plans to have it work directly with the Xbox One, but the HoloLens is reportedly in the process of being shown off to various interested game developers.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/microsofts-hololens-wants-to-enhance-your-world-with-holograms/feed0windows 10patrickorourkeMicrosoft executive Alex Kipman speaks at the about HoloLens during Microsoft's press conference. Six major takeaways from Microsoft’s Windows 10 announcementhttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/windows-10-five-takeaways-from-microsofts-press-conference
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/windows-10-five-takeaways-from-microsofts-press-conference#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2015 20:30:54 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=581581]]>On Wednesday during Microsoft’s Windows 10 press conference, the company revealed a barrage of new information about its upcoming products and software.

Whether it’s the company’s new VR headset, HoloLens, or Windows 10’s “unified apps” strategy, lead by Microsoft’s popular Office suite of programs, it’s clear innovation and finding new ways to appeal to consumers, are Microsoft’s top priorities with its new initiatives.

However, whether or not the company’s many ambitious projects pan out is the big question.

Below are six of the most interesting takeaways from Microsoft’s press conference:

1. Microsoft HoloLens, a new VR headset

The most interesting reveal during Microsoft’s press conference was the company’s often-rumoured virtual reality/augmented reality headset, dubbed the Microsoft HoloLens.

HoloLens is a self-contained computer with its own CPU, GPU and a dedicated graphics processor, allowing the headset to add detailed holograms to the world around the wearer. Unlike most VR headsets like Sony’s Project Morpheus or the Oculus Rift, Microsoft’s HoloLens uses a see-through display, and also features what the company is calling “spacial sound,” allowing the user to hear the holograms around them.

The HoloLens demonstration during Microsoft’s press conference showed people playing Minecraft in a landscape that’s actually a living room, taking a virtual tour of the surface of Mars, and also walking a group of clients through a complicated piece of architecture.

Alex Kipman, who also created the Kinect for Microsoft, said Windows Holographic isn’t just about, “putting you into virtual worlds,” and instead is focused more on finding ways to meld the virtual and real world together in innovative and interesting ways.

The ambitious device will be available “in the Windows 10 time frame,” Microsoft said.

While interesting, large tech companies like Microsoft often reveal experimental projects like HoloLens long before they’re actually useable and ready for consumera. It seems that isn’t the case with HoloLens though, as the device was playable directly after the press conference.

2. Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users can upgrade for free

Microsoft is taking the same approach as Apple with its new operating system, offering it for free. [Screenshot]

During the presentation Microsoft revealed it’s pulling a page out of Apple’s playbook and is offering Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users – on tablet, phone and PC – a free copy of Windows 10. The free upgrade deal is valid for one year.

“Once a device is upgraded to Windows 10, we’ll be keeping it current for the supported lifetime for the device,” said Terry Myerson, chief of Microsoft’s operating systems division, during the press conference.

Windows 10 is set to launch later this year, but a specific release date has not been announced. Apple has given users free OS X updates for years. By giving customers the ability to upgrade for free, Microsoft will likely ensure the majority of its users have adopted the latest version of the operating system, Windows 10.

3. Project Spartan is Microsoft’s new web browser

Microsoft’s new browser, Project Spartan. [Microsoft]

Microsoft’s new web browser, currently code-named Project Spartan, seems designed to help people forget about the abomination that is Internet Explorer. The new web browser features a new rendering engine and seems to adopt the same stripped back approach to web browsing that Google’s popular Chrome browser once focused on.

Project Spartan’s most interesting new feature is the ability to add annotations to web pages and then share them with other users, as well as also being able to launch a slimmed down, simple version of Project Spartan, designed to make reading easier and more user-friendly. The web browser can also save web pages for offline reading at a later date and will feature integration with Cortana, Microsoft’s Google Now and Siri-like personal assistant.

It’s still unclear if Internet Explorer will be discontinued, or if Microsoft plans to continue to support the ailing web browser.

4. Xbox Windows 10 app brings Xbox One social features to PCs

Microsoft’s head of Xbox Phil Spencer shows off Windows 10’s new feature that allows users to stream Xbox One games to Windows 10 devices. [Screenshot]

Along with bringing a suite of Windows 10 apps to the Xbox One, as well as all Microsoft platforms, Microsoft is also launching a dedicated Xbox app with Windows 10.

The application is set to list all of the user’s games across all Microsoft platforms, whether it’s a Windows 10 phone, tablet or PC. It also will give users the ability to record gameplay, share clips and view their friends’ social activity, similar to how the Xbox One’s semi-social networking features currently work. All data will by synced across Microsoft platforms.

The application will also let users stream Xbox One games directly to Windows 10 tablets and PCs over WiFi. While it was only touched on briefly, the launch of the Windows 10 PC application seems like it will bring cross-platform gaming between the Windows 10 PC and the Xbox One. Microsoft and Lionhead Studios’ upcoming Fable Legends is set to be one of the first titles to features cross-platform gameplay.

“We will treat gaming in Windows 10 with as much passion as we do with the Xbox One console,” said Microsoft’s head of Xbox, Phil Spencer. While interesting, it’s unclear if Windows 10’s Xbox app will by any better than Microsoft’s lacklustre “Games for Windows” initiative.

5. The Start Menu is back

With Windows 10, Microsoft is bringing back the Start Menu. [Microsoft]

Fans of the Windows operating system’s popular “Start” menu will be pleased to know Windows 10 is bringing back the popular feature, but also modernizing it in a new and interesting way.

In Windows 10, the start screen seems like it will act as the gate-keeper between the touchscreen focused Windows 10 and the more traditional mouse and keyboard version of the software. In PC mode the Start Menu shows up as a small, Metro-style tiled interface, which will be familiar to people moving from Windows 7.

Tablet mode fills the screen with the Start menu and full-screen windows, making the shift between both versions of the operating system more fluid and simpler to perform. Panning in from the right also launches Windows 10’s action centre, a feature that seems very similar to Apple’s notification centre, and also allows access to basic options like turning airplane mode on and off.

Over the course of the press conference Microsoft also emphasized what they’re calling “UI familiarity,” essentially ensuring users find Windows 10 familiar and easy to use on tablets, smartphones and on the PC.

While Windows 8 is a great tablet and mobile operating system, many of its touchscreen-focused features were frustrating when using the operating system on a desktop. Windows 10’s new Start Menu features seems like it is designed to solve this problem.

6. Cortana is coming to Windows 10

Cortana is set to work similar to Google Now, giving users sports scores, flight times and a variety of other information the program thinks they’ll need before they even know.

The assistant also has the ability to access specific files on a local hard drive or in Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage, as well as perform other basic tasks like playing music, all through voice commands. The deciding factor with Cortana will likely be how intuitive its voice commands end up being. Microsoft’s motion controller, Kinect, only responds to very specific voice commands, which can at times be frustrating.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/windows-10-five-takeaways-from-microsofts-press-conference/feed0Windows 10patrickorourkeMicrosoft executive Alex Kipman speaks at the about HoloLens during Microsoft's press conference. windows 10Microsoft's new browser, Project Spartan. Windows 10Windows 10Player invents way to level up in Destiny while sleepinghttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/player-invents-way-to-level-up-in-destiny-while-sleeping
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/player-invents-way-to-level-up-in-destiny-while-sleeping#commentsTue, 20 Jan 2015 23:48:45 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=581133]]>To participate in Destiny’s “end-game” leveling system, players need to invest a significant amount of time, and also hope they’re lucky enough to get their hands on rare weapons and items during random drops, but to get to make it to level 20, Bungie’s first-person shooter is largely grind that involves killing everything in sight.

This is where “Auto-Punchbro” comes in.

YouTuber Yavin Four says he amassed 3,600 kills and 50 green Engrams, all while sleeping. He taped down the right bumper on his Xbox One controller and also found a way to make the game automatically shoot while he punches. He also attached a small motor to automatically move the controller’s thumbstick around in a continuous pattern.

This ensures Destiny’s cheating detection system doesn’t flag his genius, but very unfulfilling method of leveling up his character. In order to make sure this method works, he also moves his character to a location where constant waves of enemies spawn and then instantly attack him.

While he’s sleeping his character kills, dies and then respawns, hundreds of times, all without Yavin Four ever needing to touch his controller.

“Ok everybody, show’s over. Woke up this morning to a brand new 20! Had about 3600 kills, and 900 deaths (lol), and like 50 green engrams. I started at level 16.5 yesterday afternoon, and reached 20 sometime while I was asleep. With the armor I had waiting for him he is now a 26,” said Yavin Four in a Reddit post, bragging about his auto-leveling contraption.

After a certain number of kills his character sometimes still gets kicked from the game, but Yavin Four seems determined to find ways to be Destiny’s laziest player by working on Auto-Punchbro 2.0 and 3.0, two improved versions of his initial cheating system.

“To those saying it’s pathetic, I don’t disagree with you,” said Yavin Four on Reddit in response to users complaining about his methods.

The exploits creators claims to be a “semi-serious” Destiny player and that he’s logged over 300 hours in the game so far.

When Destiny first launched back in September players discovered a “loot cave” exploit that saw players shooting and spinning in circles, often with the help of a rubber band, in order to get their hands on rare weapons. Bungie has since removed multiple loot cave exploits from Destiny through patches.

(NOTE: Seriously, for your second or third character going from 1 to 20 only takes about 10 hours. This seems like a lot of effort for very little gain)

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/player-invents-way-to-level-up-in-destiny-while-sleeping/feed2DestinypatrickorourkeHow to hide your online identity with a VPN servicehttp://o.canada.com/technology/internet/how-to-hide-your-online-identity-with-a-vpn-service
http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/how-to-hide-your-online-identity-with-a-vpn-service#commentsTue, 20 Jan 2015 22:03:44 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=580957]]>With the Canadian Copyright Modernization Act’s final portion going into effect on Jan. 1, forcing internet service providers (ISPs) to forward copyright holders violation claims to their customers, many Canadians are seeking ways to hide their identity online.

The most common way of hiding your personal information, as well as your location and Internet Protocol address (IP Address) – the identifier all your online activity is linked to – is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service.

On a basic level, a VPN is a subscription-based service that encapsulates and encrypts a user’s Internet data transmissions, moving their web activity through a protected tunnel in order to create a secure environment for the user. This means that copyright trolling organizations, as well as copyright holders monitoring Torrent and other file-sharing usage, will not be able to find a specific users IP address since multiple subscribers are assigned to the same IP address when connected to a VPN.

Some VPN services keep customer records that could potentially be released to authorities if requested, but many focused on ensuring customer privacy, do not. A quick way to check if the VPN provider you’re interested in subscribing to keeps customer records is to search for reviews of the provider on a reputable website like bestvpn.com. The most common and popular VPN services that don’t keep records currently are Private Internet Access, TorGuard, IPVanish, BTGuard and VikingVPN. Many VPNs also offer alternative payment methods like Bitcoins and various gift cards for an extra level of security.

While each VPN service is priced differently, Private Internet Access is on the lower end and also has a solid reputation for ensuring its customers’ privacy, offering a year’s subscription for $39.95. After subscribing, in order to use Private Internet Access, customers are sent an install file that’s set to expire after a few hours, and is also usable on five different devices. The Private Internet Access file then installs on your device and can be activated from the task bar on Windows and Mac devices. Your location can then be set to a variety of different regions in the world, masking your IP address and in the process your online identity.

Along with hiding your location, VPN services also help users access content only available in certain regions of the world like Netflix and Hulu. This can be done through location-cloaking Domain Name System (DNS) services as well. In terms of other benefits, VPN platforms also make it more difficult for people to hijack and steal data from your computer.

It’s still unclear if VPN services located in Canada or operating within the country will be subject to the section of Canada’s Copyright Modernization act that forces ISPs to send out notice-and-notice letters to their customers, given how ambiguous the language in the act currently is. Some VPN services like Toronto-based Tunnelbear have already banned the use of Torrents on their network in order to avoid future legal complications.

Other services based in Canada like Unblock-Us, a DNS location switching platform that also offers a VPN service, have left Canada and now operate out of Barbados. It’s also unclear if foreign VPN services will be forced to comply with the notice-and-notice system and this is a chance many VPN providers operating in Canada are taking.

According to Michael Geist, Canada research chair in Internet and e-commerce, the issue of whether or not VPN services are considered telecommunications providers will likely be decided in court over the next few years.

But until Canadian law becomes more clear, using a VPN service is the best way to mask your identity online.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/how-to-hide-your-online-identity-with-a-vpn-service/feed1VPNpatrickorourkeWindows 10 launch: Android apps could be coming to Microsoft’s mobile deviceshttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/android-apps-could-be-coming-to-windows-phone-devices
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/android-apps-could-be-coming-to-windows-phone-devices#commentsMon, 19 Jan 2015 23:10:06 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=580534]]>Microsoft Corp. is speculated to be bringing Android apps to Windows mobile platforms when it launches Windows 10 on Wednesday, according to ZDNet, effectively closing the app gap between Android/iOS and Windows devices.

As of September 2014, Microsoft has over 527,000 Metro-Style apps in both the Windows Store and Windows Phone store, and of these applications, approximately 340,000 are designed for Windows Phone devices. Compare this number to the 1.3 million apps in the Apple app store, or the 1.3 million apps in the Google Play Store, and Windows Phone devices begin to seem very limited.

While the apps situation has improved significantly in the Windows Phone ecosystem over the last year or so, the lack of app support is a strong deterrent for the average consumer and in turn, also to developers who are considering creating or porting over existing apps to Windows devices. Many popular applications have only just recently come to Windows Phone devices in the last year.

Software like Bluestacks, a free program allowing Windows and Mac users to run Android applications, already exists, so bringing Android apps to Windows in an official capacity is likely very possible. Although the application does have limitations related to Android’s native ARM code and the common x86 chips powering Windows computers and devices, experts feel there are likely a number of workarounds for this technical problem.

BlackBerry tried a similar approach to expanding their platform’s struggling app ecosystem by bringing Android applications to their platform, but ended up seeing mixed results, with many apps crashing or not working.

But with Microsoft currently only controlling roughly 2.7 per cent of the smartphone market, the company needs to take drastic measures to win back customer support. The benefit of bringing Android apps to Windows phone devices could be significant, fleshing out Microsoft’s mobile ecosystem and also preventing current users from abandoning Microsoft’s operating system, as well as potentially attracting new Windows Phone users.

Windows 10 is also rumoured to be the first step towards the company creating a unified, single operating system and app store. The popular start menu from past Windows operating systems is also set to make a return.

Reports that Microsoft was experimenting with plans to bring Android apps to Windows devices surfaced around this time last year. Microsoft is set to hold a press conference on Jan. 21 in which the company is expected to reveal Windows 10.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/android-apps-could-be-coming-to-windows-phone-devices/feed0MicrosoftpatrickorourkeThe New 3DS’ six most interesting featureshttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-new-3ds-5-most-interesting-features
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-new-3ds-5-most-interesting-features#commentsFri, 16 Jan 2015 20:49:21 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=579025]]>I’ve spent most of this week playing around with Nintendo’s latest handheld console, the New 3DS, and so far I’m impressed with the device.

It solves a number of the issues I had with the original 3DS and also improves on most of the 3DS XL’s features (although if you already own a 3DS XL it really is just a slight upgrade and probably isn’t worth buying, at least not yet).

The only major drawback I’ve found so far with New 3DS is a screwdriver is required to remove its back panel in order to access the console’s Micro-SD card slot, which is ridiculous, and the fact that it doesn’t come with a AC adapter – one of the strangest decisions Nintendo has made in recent memory.

But if you’re able to ignore these minor issues, the New 3DS is easily the best handheld console Nintendo has ever released (except maybe the Game Boy Advance SP, but we’ll save that for another story).

6. It’s actually faster

If you’re an original 3DS owner, the New 3DS is a significant upgrade. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

One of my biggest gripes with the original 3DS and even the 3DS XL, is how long it took to boot up, change apps and generally navigate the console’s operating system. Switch from using Sony’s snappy PlayStation Vita OS to the old school 3DS and it’s like stepping back in time.

Thankfully, one of the best upgrades with the New 3DS is how quickly it turns on, exits sleep mode and more importantly, switches between games and apps. Turning on the console no longer takes 10 seconds and instead it boots up almost instantly.

This might seem like a minor improvement, but it really makes a significant difference in terms of how enjoyable the console is to use. I might even spend a few minutes exploring the Miiverse every once in awhile now.

5. The New 3DS no longer looks like a toy

Just like the 3DS XL, the New 3DS’ upper screen can be moved to two separate angles [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

Older 3Ds models, whether it’s the 3DS or 3DS XL, as great as the systems are, looked more like a toy than a high-tech device. The New 3DS’ glossy back, curved, modern design and even its colours, all combine to give the handheld a more mature look.

This hopefully means angry business men will glare at me a little less when I’m playing the console on the subway. The New 3DS looks right at home beside the PlayStation Vita, iPad or a high-end smartphone, and this isn’t something that could be said about Nintendo’s past handheld consoles, especially the 3DS line.

Even if you’re just taking build quality into account the New 3DS is a huge step above the 3DS and even the 3DSXL in some respects.

4. The C-Stick is surprisingly great

The New 3DS C-Stick is a decent idea, but it would have made more sense for Nintendo to just include an additional Circle Pad. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

The New 3DS’ C-Stick feels a little weird at first, but after a few hours of playing around with it, it begins to feel natural, especially in titles where it can be used to move around the game’s camera.

Getting the hang of the C-Stick involves making subtle movements and also realizing it isn’t another Circle Pad (although it probably should be). It’s going to be interesting to see how developers take advantage of the new button and what it ends up getting used for. In theory it’s a great idea and works well with 3DS games that are compatible with the Circle Pad Pro. The real test will be whether or not developers find ways to use it that make sense when exclusive New 3DS titles begin to be released.

The console also includes two additional shoulder buttons, although Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate seems to be the only title that uses them so far. These shoulder buttons will hopefully make porting GameCube games to the console much easier than ever before, although they’re placed in a weird position on the top of the console.

But if these new buttons let me play Super Mario Sunshine on the 3DS, I’ll be quite pleased. Nintendo, make this happen.

3. It’s powerful and getting exclusive games

Nintendo is launching yet another version of its 3DS portable game console. Thankfully this one is worth the upgrade. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

While it’s still unclear exactly how many exclusive titles are coming to the “New” 3DS, we know the excellent Xenoblade Chronicles will land on the console at some point in 2015, the console will apparently have games exclusively designed for it.

At this point the 3DS is three and a half years old and its visuals are starting to look dated. Even back when the console first launched slightly before the release of Sony’s PlayStation Vita, visually it lagged significantly behind its main competitor. Fast-forward to today and some 3DS games look positively ugly.

Hopefully the additional hardware power in the new 3Ds gives the handheld console a much-needed visual boost. It still likely won’t output visuals on par with Sony’s more powerful PlayStation Vita, but if exclusive titles begin to look more polished, I’m on-board with Nintendo’s splitting the 3DS’ game ecosystem.

2. Battery life is improved

The New 3DS is Nintendo’s best looking portable console yet. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

One of my biggest issues with the original 3Ds is its horrible battery life. With 3D enabled you’re lucky to get three to three and a half hours out of the console, and only slightly more when it spends a significant amount of time in sleep mode.

This means inventive features like Streetpass are difficult to use consistently because turning off the console when you aren’t using it is necessary in order to keep the battery from dying. Nintendo improved battery life issues with the 3DS XL, pushing how long the handheld lasts to a more reasonable eight hours. With the New 3DS Nintendo seems to have managed to get around eight to nine hours out of a single charge (and this is just when you’re actually using the console).

This means I can throw the New 3DS in my backpack for the day without turning it off and never worry about how long its battery is going to last.

1. The 3D actually works

Next there’s the New 3DS’ “Super-Stable 3D.” This might sound like a silly buzzword (you’re right, it is), but for the first time, the 3DS’ 3D features actually work and are bearable. Gone are the days of not moving your head in order to see the handheld’s stereoscopic 3D effect. Instead the New 3DS’ camera tracks your face and eyes, adjusting the 3D effect’s angle to match where your head is located. As long as you aren’t moving your head around rapidly the new feature is great..

Also, it’s difficult to confirm right now since I haven’t play a game for a prolonged period of time on the handheld, but the New 3DS’ 3D feature feels like it doesn’t hurt my eyes as much as it did with the original 3DS.

Still, few 3DS titles beyond Super Mario 3D Land actually make intelligent use of three-dimensional visuals – hopefully that changes with the New 3DS.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/the-new-3ds-5-most-interesting-features/feed1pressstartnew3dspatrickorourkeNew 3DSNew 3DSNew 3DSNew 3DSNew 3DSNintendo’s Wii U has its best sales month ever in Decemberhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendos-wii-u-has-its-best-sales-month-ever-in-december
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendos-wii-u-has-its-best-sales-month-ever-in-december#commentsFri, 16 Jan 2015 20:12:50 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=579075]]>On Friday Nintendo of America announced the sales of its struggling Wii U console have raised 29 per cent and that game sales for the console have gone up 75 per cent, when compared to December sales in 2013, resulting in the system’s most successful sales month ever.

Nintendo did not release specific sales numbers regarding Wii U hardware sales, but did state Mario Kart 8 sold 1.7 million copies and Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U sold 1.3 million units, over the course of December 2014. These numbers represent both physical and digital sales.

The company’s Near Field Technology (NFC) toys called amiibo, have also been a resounding success, selling “nearly twice” the amount of units of Super Smash Bros on the Wii U. This means that amiibo sales likely land somewhere around 2.6 million units. At $13.99 each in Canada ( $12.99 in the U.S.) a rough estimate indicates Nintendo has made approximately $33-million from amiibo since the toy’s launch.

“Wii U had its strongest year yet thanks to the highly anticipated software lineup and the introduction of the amiibo platform,” said Nintendo of America’s Scott Moffitt in a press release.

“Fans can anticipate another strong year for 2015, especially with more highly anticipated games like Splatoon and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D, as well as New Nintendo 3DS XL, arriving in the first half of 2015.”

Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS sold 2 million since its launch in October, marking the handheld’s strongest month ever for first-party sales. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire have also sold 2.6 million units since releasing in November.

Nintendo revealed 16 3DS titles have sold 250,000 copies and that eight of those titles have sold over 500,000 units. Three of the 16 3DS titles also sold over a million units. Strangely Nintendo did not release specific information regarding what specific 3DS titles are included in this list.

Last May Nintendo posted an annual operating loss of $456 million. On Wednesday Nintendo announced a refreshed version of its popular 3DS handheld game console, the New 3DS XL, set to be released on Feb. 13.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendos-wii-u-has-its-best-sales-month-ever-in-december/feed1NintendopatrickorourkeVancouver-Island-developed game The Long Dark sells more than 250,000 copieshttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/vancouver-island-developed-game-the-long-dark-sells-more-than-250000-copies
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/vancouver-island-developed-game-the-long-dark-sells-more-than-250000-copies#commentsThu, 15 Jan 2015 19:52:34 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=578357]]>The Long Dark, an exploration-survival title set in the Canadian north, developed by Vancouver Island-based Hinterland Studio, has sold more than 250,000 copies since its Sept. 22 “early-access” launch.

The game is currently still in development, but is available though Steam’s early-access program. Over the last few years a number of successful PC games like Minecraft, Day Z and Rust have adopted this approach to development — releasing early and allowing fans to be involved with the creation process and play small sections of the game as it is still in development.

According to a recent press release, the game’s initial success, “validates the team’s direction and allows Hinterland to achieve its ambitions for the upcoming story mode, while ensuring the team’s continued independence.”

Hinterland Studio’s founder, Raphael Van Lierop, said the goal is to offer players something different with The Long Dark.

“Our goal with TheLongDark was to create a very different type of experience — an artistic survival game — and we were prepared for the game to be quite niche as a result. Thinking that a quarter of a million people have embraced our vision, even in this early state — something we’ve put forward without compromise — is extremely rewarding. And we’re just getting started,” said Van Lierop.

Since launching, The Long Dark has received over 20 updates, expanding the modes and features the title initially released with. Van Lierop said that the title’s next update, scheduled for January, will almost double the size of the game’s world. The press release also hints that new enemies will be added to The Long Dark and that this update could include the game’s anticipated story mode.

All that is currently known about the The Long Dark‘s story is that it will follow the quest for survival of a bush pilot who crashes in the Canadian north who will be voiced by Edmontonian actor Mark Meer, the voice of Commander Sheppard from the Mass Effect series.

The Long Dark is priced at $19.99 on Steam through the platform’s early-access program.

Hinterland Studio has put together an informative infographic about The Long Dark’s success. [Hinterland Studio/Handout]

Follow @Patrick_ORourke]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/vancouver-island-developed-game-the-long-dark-sells-more-than-250000-copies/feed1The Long DarkpatrickorourkeThe Long DarkNew 3DS XL review: Silly name but a worthy upgradehttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/new-3ds-xl-review-silly-name-but-a-worthy-upgrade
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/new-3ds-xl-review-silly-name-but-a-worthy-upgrade#commentsThu, 15 Jan 2015 16:03:49 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=577658]]>The New 3DS’ name might be ridiculous, but thankfully the console is a significant upgrade over Nintendo’s original 3DS, released three and a half years ago ago in 2011.

The console itself is a strange decision for Nintendo, effectively splintering the 3DS’ library because the New 3DS XL is slightly more powerful than both the 3DS and 3DS XL. Certain titles — although right now the only game announced is Xenoblade Chronicles — will take advantage of this additional hardware power and only be compatible with the New 3DS XL.

It’s unclear how many games will opt to take the exclusive New 3DS route, but this will largely determine if the console is a worthwhile purchase for people who already own the 3DS XL, the larger, vastly superior version of the first 3DS, released in 2012.

Confused? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Nintendo’s naming system for the 3DS/2DS is abysmal and the “New 3DS” will likely cause as much confusion for the average consumer as the Wii U did back when it was initially released.

Despite claims a few years ago that portable consoles were on the way out thanks to the rise in popularity of smartphone gaming, the 3DS has managed to sell 44 million units, and has a great library of games vastly superior to Sony’s more powerful and much better looking PlayStation Vita. But sales have slowed recently and the console likely won’t reach the 154 million sales figure the DS has achieved.

This is where Nintendo’s Apple-like incremental refresh, the New 3DS XL, comes into play. So the big question with this version is if it’s actually worth the upgrade?

Just like the 3DS XL, the New 3DS’ XL’s upper screen can be moved to two distinct angles [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

The answer depends on what 3DS console you currently own. If you already have a 3DS XL, you might be better off waiting to see how many titles take advantage of the console’s additional hardware power. For instance, even The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask won’t be a New 3DS-exclusive game, despite launching at the same time as the console, Feb. 13.

So what’s new about the New 3DS XL? Surprisingly quite a bit. The console’s build quality feels like an upgrade over the 3DS XL and the handheld seems to be approaching refined, high-tech device territory, losing the, “it’s just a silly toy” feeling that has plagued every version of Nintendo’s portable consoles since the Game Boy Advance SP. Still, the New 3DS XL doesn’t compare to the PlayStation Vita when it comes to aesthetics, although its glossy front and brushed plastic are a step in the right direction. However, make no mistake, this is the best looking “Game Boy” device Nintendo has every released.

The console is set to launch in two colours Nintendo is calling “New Black” and “New Red,” as well as a special, limited edition Majora’s Mask model ($229.99) and a Monster Hunter 4 version, that includes a pre-loaded copy of the game ($259.99). All versions of the New 3DS XL look great, but the Majora’s Mask model’s lid artwork is particularly impressive.

Interestingly, Nintendo neglected to launch the regular sized New 3DS in North America and instead is keeping that version of the console exclusive to Japan and Europe. Many fans are upset about this decision given the smaller sized New 3DS’ ability to change its face plates. It’s unclear if Nintendo has plans to ever release the smaller New 3Ds console outside of Japan.

In terms of other new features, the New 3DS XL also has significantly upgraded 3D capabilities. The handheld’s camera now tracks your head movements, allowing you to maintain the 3D effect and also still move your head, something that wasn’t possible with the first 3DS. This means the gyroscope motion control in games like Star Fox 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, is actually playable in 3D now.

While it’s difficult to confirm yet, the new 3D screen also seems to be less painful on the eyes, although I spent most of my time playing the console with the feature turned off.. In terms of other upgrads, the New 3DS turns on quicker and the system’s menu is snappier when it comes to navigation.

If you’re an original 3DS owner, the New 3DS is a significant upgrade. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

The New 3DS’ screen itself isn’t noticeably better quality than previous 3DS models, and after using high-end smartphones and the PlayStation Vita, its strange to easily be able to see individual pixels on a screen.

Also, just like the 3DS XL, many early 3DS games look pixelated, thanks to the New 3DS’ XL 3.88-inch 400 x 240 screen. Most 3DS games were designed for this size of screen and are just enlarged to fit it. Hopefully this is something this changes with more recent releases.

Nintendo has added a new C-Stick to the handheld as well. It’s less of a joystick/Circle Pad and more similar to the TrackPoint nub present on a ThinkPad laptops. Titles like Super Smash Bros. and Resident Evil Revelations (or any title that took advantage of Nintendo’s ill-fated Circle Pad Pro accessory) are set to take advantage of the C-stick, and for the most part it works reasonably well.

The New 3DS is Nintendo’s best looking portable console yet. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

Still, it seems like it would have been a better idea for Nintendo to simply add an additional Circle Pad to the console instead. The C-Stick reportedly works well for controlling the camera in 3D games but will be horrible if used in a first person-shooter.

The New 3DS XL also has two additional shoulder buttons seem like they will help with porting GameCube games over to the console, but since no titles have been released yet that take advantage of these new buttons, it’s unclear how well they’ll perform.

Another big addition to the console is the ability to interact with Nintendo’s Near Field Communication (NFC) amiibos, although only Super Smash Bros. (after an update set to launch in February) and an upcoming title called Code Name S.T.E.A.M, have been announced as amiibo compatible so far.

The New 3DS XL C-Stick is a decent idea, but it would have made more sense for Nintendo to just include an additional Circle Pad. [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

The handheld’s 0.3-megapixel camera also performs better in low-light, but it’s unclear why you’d be trying to take pictures with your 3DS anyways when you likely have a smartphone sitting a few centimetres away. The handheld’s Micro-SD slot is located behind its back panel, which requires you to remove a pair of screws and then grapple with sliding the panel off without damaging it – not exactly ideal, but it’s not like most people will need to access this area of the console very frequently.

Also, while far from a deal breaker, the fact that the New 3DS doesn’t include an AC adapter is borderline ridiculous. This means Nintendo is essentially assuming only people interested in upgrading from older 3DS devices will purchase the New 3DS. It’s common practice in Japan to not include an AC adapter in upgraded devices and if Nintendo opted to ditch the proprietary plug system it uses for portable consoles and instead opted for Micro-SD, not including an AC adapter with the New 3DS would be much easier to accept.

Nintendo’s New 3DS is the best 3DS yet, but whether or not you need to upgrade will depend on how interested you are in gaming on the go.

The New 3DS is a sleek looking console, but still feel feels like a “toy.” [Patrick O’Rourke/Postmedia]

If you’re new to Nintendo’s portable gaming world, titles like Mario Kart 7, Super Smash Bros and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, are impossible on your fancy smartphone and offer much deeper gaming experiences. If this is what you’re looking for, then the New 3DS is a worthwhile purchase.

8/10

On the other hand, if you already own the 3DS XL, it might be best to wait and see how many titles actually take advantage of the New 3DS’ additional hardware power.

But if you’re a 3DS owner (like me), who is tired of having their hands cramp while playing the first 3DS after just a few minutes of playing, Nintendo’s New 3DS XL is the portable consolle you’ve been waiting for.

The New 3DS XL is set to be released on Feb. 13, 2015 in North America.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/new-3ds-xl-review-silly-name-but-a-worthy-upgrade/feed1New 3DSpatrickorourkeNew 3DSmajorasmaskNew 3DSNew 3DSNew 3DSNew 3DSNew 3DS XL coming out Feb. 13 in North America, features enhanced 3D and processinghttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendo-announces-new-3ds-is-set-for-a-feb-13-north-american-release
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendo-announces-new-3ds-is-set-for-a-feb-13-north-american-release#commentsWed, 14 Jan 2015 15:47:25 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=577416]]>On Wednesday during the company’s latest online press conference, Nintendo revealed the U.S. release date for the North American New 3DS XL, Feb. 13, the same date as the console’s European release.

The new handheld is set to be more powerful than the 3DS, feature improved design quality, face-tracking 3D capabilities and games developed specifically to take advantage of the console’s additional hardware power. The strangely named New 3DS joins Nintendo’s current line-up of handheld consoles, the 3DS, 3DS XL and 2DS.

Two different New 3DS bundles, one featuring a special Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate design and another with The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, artwork, will be released when the console launches on Feb. 13. The Majora’s Mask special edition console is priced at $229.99 and surprisingly doesn’t include a copy of the game. The Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate bundle will retail for $259.99 and will be exclusively sold at EB Games in Canada. This bundle also includes a pre-loaded copy of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

Two other new 3DS designs will be available at launch, colours Nintendo is referring to as “New Red” and “New Black.” Both handheld consoles will be priced at $229, the same price as the special edition Majora’s Mask New 3DS. The system will not come with an AC adapter.

Surprisingly, the smaller version of the New 3DS, currently only available in Japan, was not mentioned in Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct. It’s unclear if the New 3DS come sometime after the New 3DS XL in North America on Feb 14, or if the smaller handheld will be released at all in North America.

Nintendos new line-up of Mario amiibo, set to be launched on March 20. [Nintendo]

The console’s new C-Stick, a second joystick-like device on the right side of the device, will work with games previously compatible with the Circle Pad Pro accessory for the 3DS, such as Resident Evil Revelations and Monster Hunter 3.

Nintendo’s NFS-enabled toy line, amiibo, will also be compatible with the New 3DS XL. Super Smash Bros. is the first game set to take advantage of the New 3DS XL’s NFC technology following a February update to the console. Upcoming 3DS titles such as Code Name S.T.E.A.M are also set to work with amiibo.

During the presentation Nintendo showed off a new trailer for Xenoblade Chronicles, originally released for the Wii back in 2012, and touted the game as one of the first titles designed to only be compatible with the New 3DS. The game is set to be released at some point in April.

Puzzle and Dragons: Super Mario Edition, a game involving sliding colourful orbs across a touch screen and also features classic Nintendo characters, was revealed alongside the free-to-play title, Pokemon Shuffle, another downloadable eShop game. The vanilla version of Puzzle and Dragons is one of the most popular games in the Japanese iOS app store.

During the presentation, Nintendo also revealed that remastered downloadable Wii games like Super Mario Galaxy 2, released today, Punch Out!, set for a Jan. 22 release date, and Metroid Prime Trilogy, Jan 29th, will be coming to the Wii U. Previously Wii titles were only accessible through the Wii U’s emulated Wii software app, a completely separate section of the console’s menu. These titles will be downloadable through the Wii U’s eShop and playable directly from the Wii U’s start screen. Pricing was not revealed.

During the press conference Nintendo also placed an emphasis on how the company’s popular amiibos will work with upcoming and already released titles. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, a soon-to-be-released title for the Wii U, will use select to amiibo to power up Kirby in-game, with the Kirby amiibo allowing players to use Kirby’s Stardash move repeatedly. The game is set for a Feb. 20 release.

The Toad amiibo will also be patched to work with Captain Toad, spawning a pixelated Toad to hunt down in each of the game’s stages. Captilizing on amiibo’s popularity, a new line of amiibo, dubbed the Super Mario Series will launch alongside Mario Party 10 and feature new figures of Mario, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Toad, Luigi and Mario. In Nintendo’s upcoming party title, ammibos will allow players to take advantage of specific character traits and to also hold onto special in-game tokens.

A new wave of amiibo, featuring Robin and Lucina from Fire Emblem, Pac-Man, Wario, Ness from Earthbound, and Charizard, was given a spring release date.

Quirky Zelda character, Tingle, as well as Young Link are coming in a downloadable Majora’s Mask Pack, set to be released on Feb. 5 for Hyrule Warriors. Splatoon, an upcoming third-person shooter that has players shooting paint at one another, was given a May, 2015 release date. A teaser for a new Fire Emblem title, set to be released for the 3DS, was also shown off during the press conference, as well as a new trailer for Xenoblade Chronicles X, for the Wii U.

In other news from today’s press conference, Mario vs. Donkey Kong Tipping Stars will be released on March 6 and is set to be the first downloadable eShop title that allows cross-buy sharing between its 3DS and Wii U versions. The title could be an indication of Nintendo’s future cross-buy plans for other downloadable titles available on both the 3DS and Wii U.

A slew of third-party developed games, many of them downloadable digital title, were also revealed: Project Treasure, Ironfall, Elliot Quest, Blek, Citizens of Earth, Gunman Clive 2, Moon Chronicles, and a collection of Sega classics remastered for the 3DS. Upcoming third-party retail titles like Story of Seasons, developed by the creators of Harvest Moon and other titles such as Etrian Mystery Dungeon, Fossil Fighters Frontier and Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+, were announced as well.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendo-announces-new-3ds-is-set-for-a-feb-13-north-american-release/feed0New 3DS XLpatrickorourkemario amiibomajorasmaskTrial of alleged Silk Road creator beginshttp://o.canada.com/technology/internet/trial-of-alleged-silk-road-creator-begins
http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/trial-of-alleged-silk-road-creator-begins#commentsWed, 14 Jan 2015 00:21:49 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=577163]]>The lawyers for 30-year-old Ross Ulbricht (known online as Dread Pirate Roberts), the alleged creator of the Silk Road, a shadowy online community where drugs and other illegal items were exchanged and sold, claim he is nothing more than the “perfect fall guy” for the website’s real owners.

Ulbricht is currently on trial in New York and is accused of making millions through the Silk Road. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges – accusations of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiring to commit narcotics trafficking, money laundering and computer hacking – and has never admitted to running Silk Road.

Before being taken offline, Silk Road was seen as an online safe haven for criminals looking to sell illegal products online, operating in the internet’s “darknet,” and creating a secure, anonymous, version of popular classified websites like Kijiji or Craigslist. Despite being shut down by the FBI in late 2013, a new version of the website, dubbed Silk Road 2.0 and also accessed through Tor browsers like its predecessor, quickly launched a few months later but was also shut down by U.S. authorities.

Since then several other “dark” websites similar to the Silk Road have emerged. Tor browsers operate in a similar way to VPN services, directing user’s internet traffic through a free, worldwide, volunteer network consisting of more than five thousand relays, and also facilitate access to websites like Silk Road.

The Silk Road 2.0 apparently adopted the original website’s secure browser setup but included additional levels of security. The site’s source code is also freely available, allowing users to duplicate the platform’s infrastructure easily.

The prosecution claims Silk Road facilitated over a million untraceable drug deals and that Ulbricht amassed over $18 million in untraceable Bitcoins while running the website. If found guilty of all charges, Ulbricht faces a life in prison.

The movie-like way Ulbricht’s arrest unfolded has quickly become internet lore. The alleged owner of The Silk Road was reportedly arrested at a local San Francisco public library chatting with someone online who he thought was a colleague, but was really an undercover federal law enforcement official.

His home computer was then seized in an “encrypted state” and Silk Road ledgers, operational files and messages related Silk Road administration, were found on his computer. Rumours also began to surface that Ulbricht was allegedly involved in a plot to hire hit-men to kill one of his rivals, although no evidence these murders were ever carried out has emerged.

The prosecution intends to pair this information with data seized from Silk Road servers in Iceland to prove Ulbricht’s guilt. Even with this damning evidence, the prosecution still faces the difficult task of linking the data they’ve uncovered to the real world, implicating Ulbricht as Silk Road’s leader in the process.

It’s also unclear how the authorities managed to hunt down Silk Road’s Iceland-based servers since all data on the website is only accessible through Tor and should have been encrypted, causing many experts to believe the U.S. government may have discovered a new way to trace Tor websites. Law enforcement claims a simple “CAPTCHA” test resulted in discovering the location of Silk Road’s servers, although experts are skeptical of these claims.

Ulbticht’s family and friends have set up a website to help defend him, claiming he is innocent of all charges and has had no involvement with The Silk Road. The results of this case will set the precedent for charges related to Bitcoin, Tor and other platforms similar to Silk Road, and how the U.S. government will handle related cases in the future.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/trial-of-alleged-silk-road-creator-begins/feed0the silk roadpatrickorourkeSpotify says music service has 15 million paying users, 60 million active subscribershttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/spotify-has-15-million-paying-users-60-million-active-subscribers
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/spotify-has-15-million-paying-users-60-million-active-subscribers#commentsTue, 13 Jan 2015 22:31:53 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=577075]]>Streaming music service Spotify could be the next company in line for an IPO, announcing this week that it has 15 million paying users and 60 million total subscribers.

Just two months ago the company revealed that it had 12.5 million paying users and 50 million subscribers, but the streaming service recently launched in Canada and also created a new “family plan” allowing two household members to subscribe to the streaming service for $14.99 a month ($19.99 for three, $24.99 for four and $29.99 for five users). The plan hasn’t launched in Canada yet.

Some analysts believe Spotify’s recent growth is spurred by an increase in mobile listening, encouraged by the recent rise in wearable technology. Spotify recently revealed that mobile devices now account for more than half of all Spotify listeners.

The monthly cost of Spotify varies by geographical region. In Canada the music streaming service costs $9.99 a month.

Competing music streaming service, Rdio, is expanding the number of devices the platform is available on, inking a deal with Bosch and various automobile manufacturers, as well as a variety of other consumer electronics manufacturers. Rdio also has offered a family plan at a slightly higher cost for more than a year now.

It’s believed that other music streaming services lag significantly behind Spotify in terms of worldwide subscriber numbers, although platforms like Deezer, Google Play Music and Rdio, typically don’t release official subscriber statistics.

However, certain high-profile artists like Taylor Swift are reluctant to accept streaming music services as the future of how people consume music. MSwift recently pulled all of her content from Spotify and also did not allow the service to stream her latest album, 1989.

Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek told TechCrunch in an interview that Swift was on track to make $6 million this year via Spotify before pulling her content from the service. In total, more than $2 billion have been paid to artists and rights holders via Spotify.

The first tweet sent out links to a Pastebin post with links to downloads of “confidential data.” The Pentagon is reportedly aware of the issue. Pastebin is an anonymous website that allows users to upload text files.

“We are aware that the account was compromised,” Major Andrew Aranda, a spokesman with the U.S. Central Command, told the National Post.

US Central Command’s Twitter and YouTube accounts have been hacked by a group claiming to back Islamic State.[Screenshot/BBC]

Another tweet specifically signed by ISIS read, “American soldiers, we are coming, watch your back.” More tweets followed:

“We broke into your networks and personal devices and know everything about you.”

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the CyberCaliphate under the auspices of ISIS continues its CyberJihad.”

Another Tweet showed a photo of two women wearing military uniforms in an office with a dog. The text accompanying the image read, “ISIS is already here, we are in your PCs, each military base.”

The organization’s YouTube account also shared two pro-ISIS propaganda videos, one titled “O Soldiers of Truth Go Forth” and the other “FLAMES OF WAR ISIS VIDEO.”

However, it’s unclear if the claim that the group is linked to ISIS is legitimate. Some reports also indicate that the information leaked in the now deleted tweets have been freely available online since 2005. The documents show the names and addresses of several U.S. military commanders.

Also, hacking into a Twitter or YouTube account and gaining access to the U.S. Central Command’s internal servers, are two very different acts.

CENTCOM’s YouTube account has also allegedly been hacked by ISIS. [Screenshot]

White House spokesman Josh Earnest echoed this warning, cautioning reporters about categorizing the hack as a “large data breach.”

The hack occurred just as U.S. President Barrack Obama was preparing to give a speech about about cybersecurity, specifically about the recent Guardians of Peace (GOP) attack on Sony Pictures, which allegedly has ties to the North Korean government.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/u-s-central-command-twitter-and-youtube-accounts-allegedly-hacked-by-isis/feed0Military HackedpatrickorourkeU.S. Central CommandISIS_youtubeGlorious Leader! video game Kickstarter cancelled amid claims of hacking attackhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/glorious-leader-kickstarter-campaign-cancelled-amid-claims-of-a-hacking-attack
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/glorious-leader-kickstarter-campaign-cancelled-amid-claims-of-a-hacking-attack#commentsMon, 12 Jan 2015 18:39:31 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=576482]]>Moneyhorse, the creators of Glorious Leader!, a retro platforming game inspired by North Korea and starring Kim Jon Un, claim their studio are “victims of a hack inspired by the attack on Sony.”

The Atlanta-based indie studio announced Glorious Leader! a few months ago but only recently launched the game’s Kickstarter campaign on Dec. 17. Just a few weeks after launching the crowd funding initiative, the development studio seems to have abruptly killed the project.

“As many of you know, over the holidays we were victims of a hack inspired by the attack on Sony. The hackers destroyed data pertaining to Glorious Leader! and other projects we had in development and locked us out of our own computers and wesbite. The timing couldn’t have been worse as it hampered our ability to attend to the Kickstarter project. We realize that we also made mistakes in our pledge levels and rewards. It is now evident that our funding goals will not be met, so we are cancelling our Kickstarter campaign.”

This is not the first time we have been targeted because of Glorious Leader! Between the hacking and other threats, we think it is time to reevaluate our commitment to Glorious Leader! We thank our fans and supporters, and we are sorry to let you down.”

It’s unclear if this is the end of Glorious Leader! or a ploy by Moneyhorse to get more money from interested fans. Moneyhorse is a start-up indie developer and has released a video game before.

The game reportedly had plans to directly reference Sony Picture’s The Interview, however the studio says they don’t believe the hack is related to the Guardians of Peace (GOP) hacking group attack on Sony Pictures head office. The FBI claims GOP has links to the North Korean government.

“We need to address the website hack. We are sure that this is a hoax perpetrated by amateurs. We have NO reason to believe that this was done by the GOP or anyone affiliated with North Korea. It appears to be an opportunistic copycat, as we have been the target of hacking attempts in the past.”

At the time of cancellation, Glorious Leader! had raised $16,816 of its $55,000 goal.

While we may never know how Glorious Leader! would have played if it actually got released, the game’s trailer evoked a retro Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) like vibe and was well received by fans and critics.

If the game’s screenshots are any indication, it also was set to featured Kim Jon Un riding a dolphin, Dennis Rodman playing basketball and copious amounts of nuclear missles.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/glorious-leader-kickstarter-campaign-cancelled-amid-claims-of-a-hacking-attack/feed2Glorious Leader!patrickorourke7 most anticipated video games of 2015http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/7-most-anticipated-games-of-2015
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/7-most-anticipated-games-of-2015#commentsFri, 09 Jan 2015 21:04:37 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=574981]]>What games are there to look forward to in the coming year? Turns out there are quite a few.

2015 is set to feature a barrage of unique games, as well as some of the first titles developed from the ground up for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Below are seven of my most anticipated games that are “supposed” to come out by the end of the year (I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these titles got pushed to 2016).

7. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3’s world seems set to be filled with an unprecedented level of detail. [CD Projeckt Red]

I’ll admit it; I’ve never played a title in The Witcher series before, but The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has grabbed my interest for some reason. The world CD Projekt RED has created is massive and the game’s combat system world seems deep and intricate, yet not over complicated.

Whether or not the game manages to appeal to me still remains to be seen – I haven’t enjoyed Dragon Age: Inquisition due to its combat system – but The Witcher 3 seems different, dark and also features a real-time combat. Still, role-playing games are far from my genre of choice these days but I’m hoping its action-oriented tone will pull me in. To me the game looks like a third-person Skyrim and this is something I’m completely okay with.

Here’s hoping the game doesn’t get delayed yet again. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is set to be released on May 19 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

6. Dying Light

Dying Light is set to release on Jan. 27, 2015 [Techland]

Dying Light has an interesting history behind it. After the game’s developer, Techland, left Dead Island’s publisher Deep Silver, the studio was forced to create a new engine and franchise, while Yager Development took over the series they created and worked on Dead Island 2. The original Dead Island was an impressive proof-of-concept, but it was also filled frustrating glitches, many of them game breaking.

The resulting title is Dying Light, a game that seems to be the game Techland wanted to create with the first Dead Island, but couldn’t due to development time constraints. The game features the same first-person melee-based combat that was part of Dead Island, only this time with significantly more polish. Dying Light’s dynamic day and night cycle, as well as its emphasis on free-running mechanics, are also interesting new twists on what Techland started with Dead Island.

Dying Light is set to be released on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on Jan. 30, 2015.

5. The Order: 1886

The demo shown off during Sony’s PlayStation Experience gave attendees a different look at Ready at Dawn’s upcoming game. [Ready at Dawn]

Over the last few months there’s been a lot of negative press about The Order: 1886, but after going hands-on with the game on two separate occasions, it seems like the game has been improved significantly.

It’s lacking multiplayer unfortunately, but hopefully The Order’s unique steampunk-inspired setting and intriguing plot line – where the player is actually helping keep the rich and privileged in power – manages to pan out as well as I hope it will.

It also helps that the game’s gunplay is satisfying and that its controls are responsive, two almost intangible but also extremely important elements of any enjoyable shooter. The Order: 1886 is going to surprise a lot of people and might end up being one of the top games of 2015.

The game is set to be released on Feb. 20 for the PlayStation 4.

4. Tom Clancy’s: The Division

The Division looks impressive, but will Ubisoft finally release a title that lives up to expectations. [Ubisoft]

The last few Ubisoft titles released towards the end of 2014 have had various issues and many people have lost faith in the publisher. But if Tom Clancy’s: The Division lives up to expectations, it could end up being one of the best third-person shooters ever created. Please take your time with this one Ubisoft.

The game is set to take place in a fictional New York after a disease has ravaged world, causing the collapse of the U.S. Government. While The Division’s plot sounds like the typical post-apocalyptic storyline, the concept of a systemic online world built around a third-person shooter is new and exciting.

The big question is whether or not Ubisoft can pull the game off though. It’s extremely ambitious and Ubisoft’s track record lately doesn’t really help the developer’s case. With that said though, Ubisoft is one of my favourite developers and if any studio can pull of this kind of game, it’s definitely Ubisoft.

The Division is set to be released at some point in 2015 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

3. No Man’s Sky

So what do you actually do in No Man’s Sky? Well, beyond “exploration” we really don’t know yet. [Hello Games]

No Man’s Sky is perhaps one of the most ambitious projects ever taken on by an indie studio. Hello Game’s next title is set to feature a randomly generated universe ripe for exploration, and a beautiful art style. Check out that alien dinosaur thing in the image above.

Whether or not the game’s extremely small team can create the experience they’re showing off and live up to people’s monumental expectations, is still a question that needs to be answered, especially since no one has actually gone hands-on with the game yet.

Still, if No Man’s Sky weren’t as impressive as many people hope it will be, Sony likely wouldn’t have made it the focal point of their recent mini-E3 PlayStation Experience Event a few months ago.

No Man’s Sky doesn’t have a solid release date but it’s expected to be released at some point in 2015 for the PlayStation 4.

2. The Legend of Zelda Wii U

Nintendo’s new Zelda title certainly is pretty. [Screenshot]

Just the concept of a true open-world Zelda alone is exciting, but after the demonstration of the game during Nintendo’s E3 presentation, what we saw seems to be exactly what the Zelda franchise needs to move forward.

The game’s world is expansive and it’s art style – a mix between Wind Waker and Skyward Sword – is refreshing and in some ways a new look for the franchise. Whether or not the game actually lands in 2015 remains to be seen though, especially since what we saw at E3, while impressive, looked like it was far from a finished product.

It’s also important to keep in mind that this is Nintendo we’re talking about. The developer rarely releases a bad video game and there’s always one thing you can count on with Nintendo – there games actually work.

The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U will apparently be released by the end of 2015 (although no one believes this) for the Wii U.

1. Halo 5: Guardians

Halo 5 shows promise but it might be too different for some longtime fans of the series. 343 Industries [343 Industries]

It’s well known that I have a nostalgic connection with the Halo franchise, but after going hands-on with Halo 5’s beta for the last few weeks, I’m extremely impressed with what 343 Industries’ has planned for the series (now if only they would fix Halo: The Master Chief Collection).

The game does have issues though. Ground pounding is silly and does’t feel like it fits into the Halo universe, and the revamped control scheme takes some getting used to, especially for longtime fans of the series.

Regardless, everything we’ve seen of Halo 5: Guardians so far seems like it will be the game that brings the series back in a big way and with a renewed emphasis on the competitive eSports scene, the future of Halo looks positive.

According to 343 Industries, Halo 5 is set to be released before the end of 2015 for the Xbox One. A specific released date for the game has not been revealed.

The tournament is set to run from March 27 to March 29 and seems to follow a business model similar to the Magic the Gathering Pro Tour or the Dota 2 International where a yearly prize pool is treated as part of the game’s marketing budget.

“From Day 1, the team at Sledgehammer Games set out to bring a new way to play Call of Duty multiplayer to fans. We couldn’t be more thrilled of how the competitive community has embraced and mastered the new player movements and game modes of Advanced Warfare,” said Michael Condrey, Co-founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games.

“This is poised to be one of the most exciting Call of Duty competitive seasons with the Call of Duty Championship being one of the best eSports tournaments of the year.”

The tournament is expected to draw the top Call of Duty players from Asia, Australia, South America, Europe and North America, with qualification being handled through Xbox One-exclusive online tournaments and regional finals. All regional finals are set to be broadcast on MLG.tv.

In 2014 Activision hosted a similar tournament for Call of Duty: Ghosts, also featuring a $1-million dollar prize purse.

Back in 2012 MLG, one of the premiere eSports leagues in the world, dropped Halo 4 from its circuit and placed a greater emphasis on competing first-person shooter franchise, Call of Duty.

Since then multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games like League of Legends and Dota 2 have become the main focus of eSports. However, first-person shooter-based eSports could be making a come back with the revival of both Halo and Call of Duty as competitive titles.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) services are legal and until now, believed to be completely unregulated in Canada, making them particularly popular for internet users interested in online privacy protection, accessing geolocked content via streaming services like Netflix and U.S.-only Hulu, or for those interested in more nefarious activities like piracy-focused Torrent downloading or criminal activity.

However, new legislation, which went into effect on Jan. 1, doesn’t clearly state whether Canada’s Copyright Modernization Act pertains to VPN platforms in Bill C-11’s section 41.25 (a). An integral aspect of the new law requires internet service providers (ISPs) to relay copyright infringement allegations to customers (an act that has already been occurring for years), and to also keep a record of these allegations for six months in case the copyright holder makes the decision to take legal action.

On a basic level, a VPN is a subscription-based service that encapsulates and encrypts a user’s internet data transmissions, moving their web activity through a protected tunnel in order to create a private and secure environment for the user.

According to Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce, it’s unclear if Canadian VPN providers are required to send out “notice-and-notice” copyright infringement allegations to their customers.

“The issue of notice-and-notice and VPNs is complex. I’ve seen the same articles on the application of notice-and-notice. I think it is a matter of interpretation,” Geist said.

The section of the new Canadian Copyright Modernization Act in question reads as follows:

(a) the means, in the course of providing services related to the operation of the Internet or another digital network, of telecommunication through which the electronic location that is the subject of the claim of infringement is connected to the Internet or another digital network…”

Geist explained the issue comes down to whether or not a VPN is considered a means of providing telecommunications and that the new law can be argued either way. Since the VPN user’s internet connection runs through the service, technically it could be considered a provider, and it’s unclear if VPN providers, are part of this new notice-and-notice system too.

“They are one party that provides the means of communication, but so do many others on the path from the initial ISP to the site and back to the ISP. However, the intent of the statute was likely to cover the ISP or network provider that provides the Internet user with the original means of telecommunications. There was no discussion that I can recall involving VPNs during the committee hearings,” said Geist.

Because of this ambiguity, Geist thinks few VPN providers based in Canada (or operating within Canada) will feel compelled to comply with the new law. In fact, doing so is impossible for many since most VPN services don’t retain the IP address record necessary to follow the new law.

However, this hasn’t stopped Barbados-based VPN provider Netprotect Inc. – the creators of popular DNS geoblocking platform, Unblock-Us – from moving their company, originally founded and located in Toronto, out of Canada to avoid potential legal issues.

“We strongly support anonymity and privacy. After learning about pending Canadian legislation requiring VPN providers to keep logs for 6 months, we made the decision to move the brand to Netprotect Inc. in Barbados where there is a better privacy environment,” reads a statement from Netprotect Inc.

TunnelBear, a Toronto-based VPN service, is taking a different approach to dealing with the new Canadian Copyright Modernization Act, explaining that despite the legislation limiting the amount of money a copyright holder can seek from the average Canadian — $5,000 for downloading copyrighted material for personal use and $20,000 for downloading copyrighted content leading to commercial gain — the company believes the new law prioritizes the protection of copyright holders over the privacy of Canadian citizens.

“We think it’s still unclear whether VPN companies fall under Bill C11’s description of Internet Service Providers. We hope to have legal consultation which clarifies this. Additionally, TunnelBear is different from many VPN providers. We have an online privacy focus and do not allow torrents on our network. Torrents have historically put pressure on our service to log users activity due to DMCA and now Bill C11. By not allowing torrents, we receive little to no DMCA notices and expect to receive little to no C11 notices,” said TunnelBear’s co-founder Ryan Dochuk.

Dochuk also explained it’s more difficult for VPN providers to monitor their customers, unlike ISPs, because the technology allows multiple users to share one IP address, making it impossible to identify individual users. And like many VPN services focused on privacy, TunnelBear operates with a strict no-logging policy. This means that if the company was asked to hand over subscriber IP address information, it actually couldn’t.

“If it is determined that we are required to comply with C11 then we will cease offering service from Canadian endpoints (VPN Servers). At no point, under any circumstances will TunnelBear log the activity of our users,” said Dochuk.

Geist warns the issue of whether or not Canadian VPN services, or even providers not based in Canada, will be forced to comply with the Copyright Modernization Act, is a matter that may end up being decided in court some day.

Over the next few years virtual private networks could potentially become significantly less private in Canada.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/canadian-vpn-services-could-be-forced-to-alert-pirating-customers/feed6VPNpatrickorourke5 major technology trends at CES 2015http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/5-major-technology-trends-at-ces-2015
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/5-major-technology-trends-at-ces-2015#commentsThu, 08 Jan 2015 00:52:37 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=573066]]>Every year a barrage of new products are announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and 2015 is no different. Sometimes these devices never make it to market and are just proof-of-concept designs, but they’re often an indicator of what is coming next in the technology industry.

Below are five of the most interesting product trends that have emerged during the course of the show.

5. Everything is “Smart”

Whirlpool’s new Smart Top Load washer and dryer are displayed at CES 2015. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Sleep Number’s smart SleepIQ Bed, for example, tracks children’s sleeping habits — complete with a monster detector to make sure there aren’t scary creatures hiding under the bed (there’s also an adult version called Sleep Number x12 Bed).

While many of the above devices are designed specifically for those with ample amounts of disposable income, the BabyBe aims to help bring babies closer to their mothers by creating a Cradle pad embedded with air bladders and heating elements, all built out of medically-safe polyurethane. It also records and transmits the mother’s heartbeat and mimics the movements rhythmically through its air bladders.

The delivery method for 4K content was also discussed during CES and it seems streaming video platforms like Netflix and Amazon Instant will be leading the 4K content charge. Roku announced plans to make streaming 4K Ultra HD a priority in future models and also revealed its new Roku TV smart television platform.

While the average consumer likely won’t notice much of a change, there is a difference between 4K and UHD technology. 4K is the standard for professional and cinema video production, while UHD is becoming the standard for consumer displays and broadcast television. Both 4K and UHD refer to extremely high-resolution displays, but a 4K image has a slightly higher resolution (4096 x 2160) than UHD (3840 x 2160).

The battle between both content formats is already being compared to the war between Blu-Ray and the failed HD DVD format that took place during the mid-2000s.

3. Bendable TVs and smartphones

The LG G Flex 2 smartphone on display at the 2015 International CES 2015. David Becker/Getty Images

Last year at CES Samsung unveiled an 85-inch bendable television, but this year the company decided to top this and added another 20 inches to the product, announcing the SUHD 105-inch bendable TV.

Unlike last year’s bendable TV from Samsung, this one is actually set to ship during the second quarter of 2015, however a price hasn’t been announced yet. It’s safe to assume it will be very expensive considering the non-bendable version of this television costs $120,000. Other bendable televisions include LG’s 77-inch UHD flexible TV.

LG also revealed the LG G Flex 2, a smartphone with a unique curved design and a feature the manufacturer is calling “self-healing.” It has quickly become one of the most popular tech devices revealed at CES 2015.

According to LG, curved phones are more durable, especially when they allow the device to physically flex and bend as pressure is applied to it. The self-healing back panel is built out of a special polymer that reportedly automatically recovers from small scratches.

The LG G Flex 2 also features a 1080 pixel screen and is slightly smaller than its predecessor, the LG G Flex 2, coming in at 5.5-inches as opposed to 6-inches.

2. Self-driving cars could soon be available

While still far off – although there are cars on the market right now that have a number of interesting driving assist features – many car manufacturers showed off high-tech vehicles at CES 2015 that have the ability to self-drive.

Mercedes-Benz revealed the 4 015 Luxury in Motion Concept Car, while Delphi Drive also showed off its new self-driving car system. In other car-related news at CES, Ford announced its new in-car entertainment system will be based on the BlackBerry QNX operating system, moving from the Microsoft system Ford cars currently use and Qualcomm showed off two Maserati cars with screens instead of traditional interior mirrors.

Google also revealed Android Auto, the company’s own in-car entertainment system forged out of the Open Automotive Alliance announced last year at CES 2014.

1. Smartwatches are the new ‘it’ device

The Guess Connect smartwatch, powered by Martian, is dislpayed at the Martian booth at the CES 2015. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

This year at CES the show floor is packed with various kinds of wearable technology and some of these new devices look very promising. With the Apple Watch’s launch looming on the horizon, almost every major manufacturer revealed some sort of fancy new smartwatch-like device. LG’s WebOS-based watch, scheduled for an early 2016 release, is interestingly built on Palm’s webOS platform rather than the more popular smartwatch operating system, Android Wear.

Other notable smartwatches include a watch from LG Audi that has the ability to control Audi cars, including the ability to start the vehicle, drive it a short distance and tweak climate control settings, as well as open and lock doors.

GPS manufacturer Garmin also announced a new smartwatch called the Vivoactive and a slew of other companies — including Kronzo, Lenovo, Mota and more — all have their own take on the smartwatch. A range of new devices dubbed “smart connected” watches have also emerged from traditional watch manufacturers like the Guess Connect and Withings Activité Pop.

Earlier this week media reports said that Netflix might be working on new ways to block geoblocking services allowing customers to access different regions of the streaming platform. However, Barbados-based Unblock-Us says they have no evidence the streaming platform is testing methods to block their service in any way.

“All our services are up and running with no issues. We have seen no evidence that Netflix is attempting to block our customers from accessing their service through our DNS servers,” said Unblock-Us in a statement.

Unblock-Us allows users to access different regions of Netflix through DNS switching. Screenshot

According to Unblock-Us the issues their customers, as well as users of other VPN/DNS (virtual private network/domain network server) services, are experiencing are related to Netflix launching updated apps on Android and Roku devices that hard code Google’s DNS directly into their app. A representative from Unblock-Us explained Netflix is likely experimenting with different DNS setups to “determine if it provides a faster, more direct path to stream content to subscribers,” rather than trying to block VPN and DNS services.

Google offers one of the world’s fastest DNS servers, so it makes sense for Netflix to be testing it with their app. The company also stated they experienced a similar issue with the PlayStation 3 several years ago.

This theory is in line with Netflix’s statement about the issue, explaining nothing has changed regarding the company’s policy towards VPN/DNS services, but not going so far as to outright deny that they might be testing ways to prevent subscribers from using them.

“Virtually crossing borders to use Netflix is a violation of our terms of use because of content licensing restrictions. We employ industry standard measures to prevent this kind of use. There haven’t been any recent changes to the Netflix VPN policy or terms of use,” said Netflix’s statement.

Unblock-Us, as well as other VPN and DNS services, have already found workarounds for this issue involving blocking specific DNS addresses on the user’s router.

“Smart DNS is an important service that provides Security, Privacy and helps promote Internet Freedom. We are confident that we will continue providing the quality service as we have for the last four years,” said Unblock-Us in a statement.

Unblock-Us and its parent company Netprotect Inc. were originally founded in Toronto but the company recently moved its operations to Barbados a few years ago due to pending legislation that requires all VPN services to keep a record of their customers for six months.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/unblock-us-says-netflix-isnt-testing-methods-to-stop-geoblocking-services/feed0Netflix LogopatrickorourkeUnblock-UsBitport makes downloading Torrents easy and securehttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/bitport-makes-downloading-torrents-easy
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/bitport-makes-downloading-torrents-easy#commentsTue, 06 Jan 2015 22:45:28 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=573166]]>Downloading Torrents might seem easy to the technically inclined, but explaining the process to the average person is rather difficult.

Download that program and then go to this website. Make sure you look at how many seeders and leechers there are and always download from reputable uploaders — the entire process is complicated.

Then there’s the issue of trying to explain to someone what a Torrent actually is — a file containing metadata about files and folders, a list of the network locations and also trackers.

This is something a new website called Bitport wants to change: it finds, downloads and streams torrents directly to you with a high level of security, an element of downloading that is becoming increasingly important in the file sharing world, especially in Canada.

Once you have created an account on Bitport, all you need to do is log into the website, drop the Torrent file or magnet link into Bitport and the download begins. It can then be streamed while downloading and a copy of the file is saved in your personal Bitport cloud storage. This file can then be moved out of the cloud and onto a physical hard drive.

The main difference between downloading a Torrent through Bitport rather than on your computer via a program like uTorrent, is speed. Bitport’s servers are in a very fast data center. This means an ancient torrent with only a few seeders can be downloaded in only a few minutes. When it comes to popular torrents, downloads through Bitport are almost instant.

Privacy is also an interesting part of Bitport because Torrents aren’t actually stored on your computer (unless you copy them from the cloud). All download connections are encrypted and couple this with a VPN or Tor browser, and Bitport is one of the most secure ways to download a torrent on the internet.

However, it’s important to point out Bitport’s terms of use restrict downloading copyrighted files, which is likely the type of content most users will be downloading through the platform. This is something Bitport seems well aware of considering the service gives users the option to pay for their subscription through untraceable Bitcoins.

Bitport offers various tiers of subscription ranging from $5 to $15 a month, all offering different amounts of storage space.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/bitport-makes-downloading-torrents-easy/feed0BitportpatrickorourkePlayStation 4 sells 18.5 million consoles worldwide, 4.1 million during the holiday seasonhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/playstation-4-sells-18-5-million-consoles-worldwide-4-1-million-during-the-holiday-season
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/playstation-4-sells-18-5-million-consoles-worldwide-4-1-million-during-the-holiday-season#commentsTue, 06 Jan 2015 02:24:17 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=572564]]>According to a recent press release from Sony, the company’s newest game console has sold 18.5 million units worldwide.

4.1 million of these sales occurred during the 2014 holiday shopping season between Nov. 23, 2014 and Jan. 4, 2015. Sony’s last PlayStation 4 sales update came in August when the company stated it sold more than 10 million consoles to customers.

Back in October Sony’s financial report revealed the company shipped 13.5 million PS4 consoles to retailers. Sony also revealed that 81.8 million PS4 games have been sold since the console’s launch on Nov. 15, 2013 in North America. The PlayStation 4 launched in Japan on Feb. 22, 2014 and Nov. 19, 2013 in Europe.

It’s still unclear how many consoles the Xbox One or the Wii U sold over the holiday shopping season, as neither Nintendo or Microsoft have released official sales statistics. It’s widely believed the Xbox One is lagging behind the PlayStation 4 in terms of sales as much as 50%, though Microsoft claimed a sales victory during November, likely due to aggressive pricing.

Just before the holiday shopping season Microsoft dropped the Xbox One’s price $50 to $350 in the U.S in an effort to encourage sales. The company has since announced that the Xbox One’s price is returning to $399 USD. In Canada the Xbox One regularly sells for $399 without a Kinect and the PlayStation 4 is priced at $449.

The Wii U’s numbers reportedly hover at around 8 million consoles sold.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/playstation-4-sells-18-5-million-consoles-worldwide-4-1-million-during-the-holiday-season/feed1PS4patrickorourkeMicrosoft gives Xbox One more CPU power by limiting Kinect functionalityhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/microsoft-gives-xbox-one-more-cpu-power-by-limiting-kinect-functionality
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/microsoft-gives-xbox-one-more-cpu-power-by-limiting-kinect-functionality#commentsMon, 05 Jan 2015 23:26:08 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=572498]]>A recent information leak perpetrated by the hacking group H4LT, has revealed information about the Xbox One’s development kit that could explain why certain recent multi-platform third-party video games are performing better on the console than the PlayStation 4.

According to Eurogamer, Microsoft is giving developers access to a seventh core, a part of the system’s CPU power previously dedicated to enabling Kinect features like voice and gesture control, as well as the Xbox One’s operating system. Previously two of the console’s eight cores were reserved for these functions, but now Microsoft is allowing developers to use 50 to 80 per cent of one core for game performance.

In order to take advantage of this extra hardware power, developers need to give up the ability to use game-specific voice commands as well as Kinect’s infra-red and depth functionality. CPU usage with this core is also reportedly variable, with system-related voice commands like “Xbox record that,” or “Xbox go to friends,” moving the extra core’s usage to approximately 50 per cent. According to Eurogamer, this means, “scheduling tasks will be troublesome,” for developers.

While giving developers the option to remove Kinect functionality from games to increase hardware power is a logical step forward for Microsoft since not every Xbox One comes with the gesture-controlled Kinect, taking advantage of the new development feature seems like it is a complicated task. There’s no way for a game creator to know when a player might use a voice command, limiting the amount of power available in the extra core.

Games like Assassin’s Creed Unity, a title suffering from technical issues across the Xbox One, PS4 and PC, performed much better on the Xbox One when compared to the other two platforms it’s available on. Some users have also reported GTA V runs smoother on the Xbox One than the PlayStation 4.

It’s unclear if this additional hardware power will help multiplatform Xbox One titles achieve parity with PS4 games, allowing them to also run at 1080p.

The final part of Canada’s Copyright Modernization Act went into effect on Jan. 1, requiring Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and website hosts to relay notices of copyright infringement allegations to their customers.

While these notices don’t carry immediate legal ramifications, they serve as a warning that the copyright holder is aware of your IP address’ downloading activity and that legal action could follow.

Previously ISPs were able to decide if they wanted to inform their customers a copyright holder is aware of their illegal downloading. Internet service providers like Bell and Rogers have been periodically sending out these notifications for the last few years, but as of Jan. 1, doing so is now a legal requirement in Canada.

However, the new law introduces limitations on the amount of money a copyright holder can sue an individual for — $5,000 for downloading copyrighted material for personal use and $20,000 for downloading copyrighted content leading to commercial gain. According to the new law, customers receiving these notifications are also not told to remove the content from the Internet or their computer.

Since the cost of litigation is significant, it’s unlikely copyright holders will pursue illegal downloaders on an individual basis. Instead copyright holders will likely opt to take legal action against a large number of file sharers at once.

The ISP or website host is also forced to keep a record of the notification for six months in case the copyright holder decides to take legal action. However, customer personal information can’t be released to the copyright holder unless a lawsuit is launched. This means that while the major movie studio or record label might have the IP address of a file sharer, it won’t have their name or address until the decision to take legal action is made.

According to Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and Canada Research Chair for Internet and E-Commerce, all “demand letters” sent out to subscribers will also be reviewed by a case management judge before being landing in the email inbox of a subscriber. Each letter must also include a message in bold type that says, “no Court has yet made a determination that such subscriber has infringed or is liable in any way for payment of damages.”

This new system acts more as an educational tool to raise awareness regarding copyright infringements rather than as a way for copyright holders to troll regular Canadians downloading movies. Sending out copyright infringement notices has also proven to be a very successful deterrent in the past. In 2011, Rogers stated 67% of recipients of a single notice stop downloading copyrighted material, and that this number increases to 89% after a second notice.

Major Internet providers Bell and Rogers have confirmed to various media outlets that they will comply with the new law. According to the Leader-Post, two ISPs in Saskatchewan, SaskTel and Access Communications, have also confirmed they will abide by the new legislation.

Last year independent ISP Teksavvy was asked by Voltage Pictures, a Hollywood production company behind films like TheHurt Locker, to release the personal information behind 2,000 IP addresses the studio believes has illegally downloaded their films.

TekSavvy refused to release the requested information until a federal court order was issued. According to the Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic, Voltage Pictures and TekSavvy are now in court over the legal cost related to TekSavvy releasing this information.

Teksavvy is asking to be reimbursed for “reasonable legal costs, administrative costs and disbursements,” according to legal documents related to the case. The ISP has also submitted a bill for $346,480.68 and Voltage Pictures has stated they’re opposed to the “outrageous” amount of money in TekSavvy’s request.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/canadian-downloaders-will-begin-receiving-more-copyright-infringement-notices/feed3pirating downloadpatrickorourkeNetflix Inc says VPN use to access overseas content is ‘violation of terms of use’ amid reports of crackdownhttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/netflix-might-be-cracking-down-on-geoblocking-services
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/netflix-might-be-cracking-down-on-geoblocking-services#commentsMon, 05 Jan 2015 17:59:19 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=572207]]>Gaining access to U.S. Netflix in Canada could soon become more difficult.

Users who use virtual private networks (VPNs) to disguise their home country, allowing them to access otherwise off-limits content in other countries — including the different catalogue of videos offered by Netflix in the U.S. and Europe — are reportedly facing a crackdown.

According to recent reports, users of the popular VPN service, TorGuard, are receiving errors when trying to use the platform with Netflix. Several IP-ranges and DNS-based location unblockers have reportedly been targeted.

In an interview with Torrent Freak, TorGuard’s Ben Van der Pelt explained he feels this could be an indication Netflix is testing new methods to stop “geoblocking” software.

“I have a sneaking suspicion that Netflix may be testing these new IP blocking methods temporarily in certain markets. At this time the blocks do not seem aggressive and may only be targeted at IP ranges that exceed too many simultaneous logins,” said Van Der Pelt in the interview.

In other recent developments, Netflix’s Android application now forces smartphones to use Google’s DNS address, making it much harder to use geoblocking apps (workarounds have already been figured out). The latest version of software for the Roku 3 also uses similar geolocking protection techniques and subscribers to other popular services like Unblock-Us and UnoDNS have experienced issues.

In a statement, Netflix denies this claim, although the company says using VPN and DNS services is a violation of Netflix’s terms of service.

“Virtually crossing borders to use Netflix is a violation of our terms of use because of content licensing restrictions. We employ industry standard measures to prevent this kind of use. There haven’t been any recent changes to the Netflix VPN policy or terms of use,” Netflix’s statement says.

Despite this explanation, late last year entertainment industry sources in Australia complained to Netflix about “VPN-pirates” having a significant impact on their sales, with up to 200,000 Australians using geoblocking programs to access Netflix in the region. Netflix isn’t officially available in Australia but will reportedly launch there in March 2015.

Torrent Freak also published a recent draft of a content protection agreement between Sony Pictures and Netflix specifically requires Netflix to verify the location users are residing in. Sony Pictures has reportedly performed research in order to identify the IP-ranges of geolocking services and then shared the results with Netflix.

Despite the violation of Netflix’s terms of service, the streaming platform likely doesn’t have an issue with users taking advantage of VPN and DNS-based proxy applications to access different regions of Netflix. The company still receives its monthly subscription fee and ignoring users who take advantage of these services could potentially attract more subscribers.

However, if Netflix is receiving pressure from studios to be more vigilant when it comes to blocking these platforms, accessing U.S. Netflix in Canada could soon become much more difficult.

A telephone poll that surveyed 2,002 Anglophone Canadians last spring by the Media Technology Monitor found approximately 32 per cent of the respondents were Netflix subscribers. It’s unclear how many Canadians take advantage of VPN and DNS services, but popular paid platforms like Unblock-Us have more than 14,000 followers on Twitter and approximately 14,000 likes on Facebook.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/netflix-might-be-cracking-down-on-geoblocking-services/feed6NetflixpatrickorourkeReleasing unfinished video games has become the new normalhttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/releasing-unfinished-video-games-has-become-the-new-normal
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/releasing-unfinished-video-games-has-become-the-new-normal#commentsFri, 02 Jan 2015 20:11:16 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=571240]]>Over the course of 2014 purchasing a video game, popping it into your shiny new Xbox One or PlayStation 4 and then actually being able to play it, became a more difficult task than it should be.

Today’s modern video games and consoles have brought a number of innovations to the industry, giving players new ways to interact with traditional game experiences and creating vast, social network-like video games built upon living, breathing open worlds.

But with these interesting innovations has come a new problem: Developers are often releasing and selling unfinished video games – and unfortunately, it seems as if this is becoming a regular occurrence when it comes to the modern gaming industry.

Welcome to next-gen gaming.

The Master Chief Collection’s multiplayer only recently started working properly. 343 Industries

The issues many of 2014’s biggest video games suffer from come in various forms. Sometimes a game needs an update that takes hours to download the second you put it into your console. In other situations, a title needs extra polish and multiple patches are released a couple of days after the game lands in the hands of consumers. And in certain instances many of the biggest games of 2014 were completely unplayable long after their release.

343 Industries’ Halo: The Master Chief Collection was still broken up to two weeks after its official release, with many players still unable to find games through its matchmaking multiplayer mode. This was a huge personal disappointment for me since The Master Chief Collection was one of my most anticipated games of 2014. Sony’s DriveClub suffered server issues that lasted weeks, rendering the online-only game unplayable (weather effects were also patched into the game at a later date).

Ubisoft’s Assassins Creed Unity launched with countless issues related to slow frame rates , often hilarious graphical glitches and even the occasional audio problem. Another Ubisoft title, Far Cry 4, forced some players to delete and re-install the game on their PS4’s in order to continue playing it, causing the player to lose their saved file and start the game all over again.

These issues likely occured for a number of reasons. Developers are now primarily creating games for two new, powerful consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Both these devices have only been out for a year and many studios are probably still trying to get the hang of creating games for them. Developers also have financial goals to meet and despite how unfinished a title might be, a video game is still a product and sometimes products just need to ship. The video game industry is about making money after all.

The issues many of Ubisoft’s games suffered from, while not unique to the current state of the gaming industry, are an interesting example of what the source of 2014’s glitch filled gaming problems might be. Many of the developer’s recently released games, Far Cry 4, Assassin’s Creed Unity or even titles like Watch_Dogs, all featured what many developers refer to as “living worlds.”

Leading up to the release of Watch_Dogs, Colin Graham, Watch_Dogs’ Animation Director, explained he felt creating a more comprehensive and believable world was what would define the “next-generation” of gaming on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. This is a sentiment many developers, particularly those at Ubisoft have emphasized in interviews over the course of 2014.

“When people get their hands on Watch_Dogs I hope they see the complexity of the systems, because we’re throwing more AI, more CPU to determine behaviors and there are hundreds of characters on-screen. Every civilian is their own AI and they react differently. AI civilians know the difference between seeing and hearing a person. There’s a different reaction between hearing a gunshot and seeing someone get killed,” Graham said during a Watch_dogs preview event in Toronto.

While Watch_Dogs didn’t launch any game-breaking issues, Graham’s statement holds true to many of Ubisoft’s other releases this year, particularly titles like Far Cry 4 and Assassin’s Creed Unity, two games that blend multiplayer and singleplayer into a more seamless experience.

Terrifying glitches like this are a common sight in Assassin’s Creed Unity. Steam user Retro_Apocalypse

Because these worlds are detailed and included a significant number of moving parts – and in some cases even online features – there are a lot of things that can go wrong during the development process. Even with the army of testers most game developers have working through their titles before they land on store shelves, it’s impossible to test all aspects of the game until its bottled up, systemic world is open to the gaming public.

This seems to be why it has become increasingly common for developers to release early beta versions of upcoming titles. Destiny’s launch went relatively smoothly and this is likely attributed to the fact that the game was released to the public in both beta and alpha form, giving Bungie the ability to test the game under the stress of real world conditions prior to release.

Halo 5: Guardians’ multiplayer beta is another great example of this strategy, especially since the game’s release is likely over a year from now. Creating a multiplayer-focused beta, something the Halo series’ creator Bungie has done in the past with earlier Halo games, allows dedicated fans to give 343 Industries integral feedback about the game, and perhaps more importantly, test Halo 5’s online ranking system and network infrastructure, two issues that The Master Chief Collection suffered from.

Even one of Ubisoft’s own titles, The Crew – although it was developed by an external studio, Ivory Tower – was given a lengthy public beta testing phase, resulting in the game launching with minimal issues.

343 Industries is on the right track with Halo 5 by letting players test the game out a year ahead of time. 343 Industries

If always-online experiences are destined to be the future of video games, public beta and alpha testing need to become a more regular occurrence in the video game industry. Unfortunately right now many public beta/alpha tests occur far too close to the game in question’s official release date for the developer to make significant changes to its experience.

This means that beta testing is often used as more of a promotional tool than a way for developers to gain feedback from their fan base and stress test their title.

It’s important to point out that games like Assassin’s Creed Unity and Halo: The Master Chief Collection have been patched multiple times post-release and are much more playable than they were at launch

But at some point players are no longer going to put up with paying $69.99 for a broken gaming experience. However, flipping this concept around and giving players free early-access to a title long before its release date, allows developer to have ample time to iron out any kinks in their game.

The idea of being an unpaid beta tester instantly becomes more appealing when you don’t have to shell out $69.99 for the privilege, and this is the direction the industry needs to be headed.

In the wake of this shutdown, as many as 400 Pirate Bay clone websites have cropped up, with most of the copies based on the new IsoHunt’s oldpiratebay.org, an archive of every Torrent uploaded to The Pirate Bay, as well as the group’s recent OpenBay project.

In an interview with Torrent Freak, a Torrent-focused blog, the group behind IsoHunt explained they have had no contact with The Pirate Bay regarding this new project. However, the flag currently situated on The Pirate Bay’s home page is pulled from OpenBay, so it’s likely that the legally-embattled Pirate Bay symbolically approves of IsoHunt’s OpenBay project.

IsoHunt revived The Pirate Bay as an archive last week. Screenshot

The most prominent of Pirate Bay clones seems to be the Costa Rica-hosted thepiratebay.cr, although the .cr domain name has never been associated with the official Pirate Bay. Also, Pirate Bay has stated it still has control of its .se domain name – the most recent address of the website before it was taken down – so there’s little reason for Pirate Bay’s owners to switch to a new domain. There are also rumours circulating that some of these Pirate Bay clones could be created by government and law enforcement agencies in an effort to gain the personal information of downloaders.

When one Torrent hosting website disappears many others take its place. The question is whether or not Pirate Bay copies will replace the void the original Pirate Bay has left in the Torrent sharing community. Much of the site’s popularity was related to its reliable content uploaders and vigilant moderators, aspects of the original Pirate Bay that likely won’t be recreated with these clones.

In an interview during the height of Pirate Bay’s popularity, one of its founders, Peter Sunde, discussed the Internet’s Hyrdra-like nature.

“Start up your own torrent sites, make the Internet the hydra it is and needs to be. If there’s hundreds of sites, they can’t all be shutdown,” Sunde said, emphasizing that Torrent communities shouldn’t be relying so much on Pirate Bay, and that it is necessary for other prominent torrent hosting websites to emerge.

Sunde is no longer associated with the website and recently served five months in prison – after evading law enforcement for five years – for his involvement with Pirate Bay as one of the site’s key owners.

Just a few days ago Pirate Bay’s official domain began displaying the image of a waving pirate flag accompanied by a mysterious countdown clock, so perhaps an official Pirate Bay revival could still be in the works.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/hundreds-of-the-pirate-bay-clone-sites-emerge-in-wake-of-shutdown/feed26The Pirate Baypatrickorourkethe pirate bayVideo: 2014 was the year of broken video gameshttp://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/2014-was-the-year-of-broken-video-games
http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/2014-was-the-year-of-broken-video-games#commentsTue, 30 Dec 2014 23:05:44 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=570112]]>2014 was full of broken video games including the disappointing Assassin’s Creed Unity, Driveclub and even Halo: The Master Chief Collection. This is just a small selection of the many broken video games that were likely released a little too early this year.

DDoS attacks are implemented by either forcing the targeted network’s service or website to reset, or by consuming its resources at such a high level that it can no longer function. While relatively simple and not considered “hacking” by security experts, large-scale DDoS attacks, like those against Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, require the use of massive “botnets,” compromised computers all working in unison to overwhelm a service.

These corporations make billions off your existence and still don't even pay their tax. And you're still defending them? Open your eyes.

This meant that for the majority of the holiday, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, two of the highest traffic online gaming days of the year, most people were unable to access either Xbox Live or PSN.

While Lizard Squad’s motivations for the attacks are still unclear, the group claims they want Microsoft and Sony to improve security on their online services. Just like many online attacks of this kind, it’s more likely they were perpetrated simply because they were possible, especially since preventing a DDoS attack is difficult regardless of how secure a network is.

The controversy surrounding the attacks also involved a rival hacking group, The Finest Squad, allegedly attempting multiple times to take down Lizard Squad over the course of the holidays through their own DDoS attacks and by “doxing,” releasing the personal information of Lizard Squad members. These efforts ultimately failed and both PSN and XBL remained offline until Dotcom intervened. Lizard Squad and The Finest Squad also frequently traded insults through social media and on popular YouTube hacking-focused talk show, DramaAlert.

This is where Kim Dotcom comes in: contacting Lizard Squad directly and promising the group 3,000 $99 Lifetime accounts, worth approximately $300,000 in total, for his encrypted upload service, Mega, if they stopped their DDoS assault on XBL and PSN. Lizard Squad also credited Dotcom with being the main peacemaker in terms of getting the attacks to stop.

Despite one faction of Lizard Squad claiming all attacks have ceased, another faction of the group reportedly continued disrupting XBL and PSN, creating free digital game listings for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Destiny. When both services went back online they were also overwhelmed with thousands of users trying to log into their profiles simultaneously, creating additional difficulties for Microsoft and Sony’s online infrastructure.

However, As of Dec. 30th, both Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network are running relatively smoothly.

Lizard Squad, Finest Squad, Anonymous and myself did a peace summit via @KEEMSTARx. The Agreement: No more attacks against Xbox & PSN.

Despite playing an important role in getting both gaming services back online, some have criticized Dotcom for setting a dangerous precedent by giving away free Mega accounts to malicious hackers.

Other recent high-profile hacking incidents include a group of hackers known as the Guardians of Peace gaining access to Sony’s internal network and leaking a number unreleased films, and also threatening a terrorist attack if the controversial movie The Interview was released.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/how-kim-dotcom-helped-stop-holiday-xbox-live-and-psn-ddos-attacks/feed2Kim DotcompatrickorourkeFollow Mr. Claus around the world with the 2014 NORAD Santa Trackerhttp://o.canada.com/technology/internet/follow-mr-claus-around-the-world-with-the-2014-norad-santa-tracker
http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/follow-mr-claus-around-the-world-with-the-2014-norad-santa-tracker#commentsWed, 24 Dec 2014 21:53:07 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=567825]]>It’s the night before Christmas and Santa is hard at work right now delivering toys to boys and girls all over the world, and just like every year, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is meticulously tracking the jolly white bearded man’s movements.

NORAD has been live tweeting Santa’s journey over the course of today and his trip can also be tracked through a live website, complete with a little Santa’s sled icon slowly gliding around the world.

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/internet/follow-mr-claus-around-the-world-with-the-2014-norad-santa-tracker/feed0Santa Tracker 2014patrickorourkeThe Interview is available to stream right nowhttp://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/you-can-stream-the-interview-right-now-but-only-in-the-u-s
http://o.canada.com/technology/personal-tech/you-can-stream-the-interview-right-now-but-only-in-the-u-s#commentsWed, 24 Dec 2014 21:04:00 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=567787]]>Earlier today Sony announced that YouTube, Google Play, Xbox Video and eventually the PlayStation Network, will stream The Interview for $6 or to own at $15, starting at 1 pm EST.

Update: The Interview is now available to stream in Canada on a variety of platforms.

The film’s director, producer and star, Seth Rogen, recently tweeted that the movie will be making its way to Canada at some point in the near future. In an interview with The Canadian Press a Sony spokesperson, who that didn’t want to be named, stated that the studio is still exploring its options when it comes to a Canadian release.

CANADIANS! Sincere apologies but #TheInterview is not available 4 u 2 download yet BUT will be soon. We are working on it!

The Interview stars Vancouver’s Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists who are recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Sony Picture’s controversial film The Interview was pulled from theatrical release last week following a massive cyber attack on the studio, leaking internal emails, unreleased films and the personal information of hundreds of Hollywood stars and film executives. Shortly after the hack, threats of a terrorist attack related to the release of The Interview were also released.

While it was initially believed The Interview might not be released at all, select theatres in the U.S. have picked up the film for a Christmas Day theatrical premiere.

The Interview is currently available for streaming via Xbox Video in the U.S. Screenshot

Earlier this week Sony claimed they had no plans to release The Interview in any form. It was widely believed the movie might still find its way onto Sony’s free Crackle movie streaming service, but it seems the company has opted to release the controversial film on a variety of platforms instead.

Rumours swirled early last week that the cyber attack on Sony was the work of North Korean hackers, a claim many experts in the field stated was likely flase.

However, the FBI recently released information citing it believes the North Korean government was behind the hack and was in some way involved in the Guardians of Peace (GOP) leaking Sony’s internal documents.

Sony Pictures’ chair and CEO Michael Lynton said in a statement on Wednesday that it was always Sony’s intention to release the film on a national platform.

“Negotiations with digital providers began last Wednesday, and, as of this morning the film will be available in around 300 independently owned theatres starting Thursday,” Lynton said.